The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage
by Behla
Summary: Louis de La Vallière can't seem to chant a single spell without it turning into an explosion. Is for this reason he was nicknamed 'Louis the Zero'. During the Springtime Familiar Summoning, he plans on summoning a powerful familiar to show everyone he is a real mage, but he ends up summoning... a commoner girl?
1. Prologue

**A/N: Firstly, thank you for clicking on my story! Second...**

 **So, this is an idea I've had in my mind for a few years already. I'm an avid fan of genderbending every single series I watch, so, when I watched Zero no Tsukaima back in 2009 and found out there wasn't any gender bender fanfiction of it, I almost freaked out. After a while, I decided that if no one would write one, then I'd do it. This is the result of that.** **Coming to this site, I noticed there are a few genderbent fanfictions going around now, which makes me really happy. I want to share what I write too.**

 **Before starting, I want to make some points clear: english is not my first language, so, if you read and find an error (even in this A/N) I'll be really thankful if you point it out to me so I can fix it. Another thing, in this fanfiction, only three characters are genderbent: Saito, Louise, and another one you will find out soon. Saito and Louise will retain their personalities, of course, but there will be a few changes, e.g.: Saito with the attitude of a girl raised in modern Japan and Louise as a boy raised in Halkeginia. This means they are not only viewed differently socially, but their experiences and sometimes behavior will be slightly different too, as well as the way they view some things.**

 **I will explain other things as I write the story, like why I make the characters do this instead of that or why is Louis acting differently than Louise would, etc., but for now, this is what you should know. I also want to say I write this story mostly for my own entertaiment, but I hope you find it entertaining too. I'm not sure yet if I'll adapt the whole story or just a few novels, it depends on how well-received it is and if I want to. Lastly, about the name of the story. I'm not really convinced, I just knew I wanted to avoid the words 'familiar' and 'zero' at all costs. Maybe I'll change it, but I can see myself getting used to it pretty soon.**

 **With nothing else to say, read out!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Zero no Tsukaima, the characters, scenarios or plot, only the headcanons you may come across. I write this only for my own entertaiment.**

* * *

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Prologue**

 **...**

Hiraga Sachiko was a normal girl: seventeen years old, finishing her second year of high school and with very few worries in life. She was an only child. Her parents, though annoying at times, were caring and loving. Her friends, though few, were good and loyal. Her academic performance was average at best, though that was mostly due to her bad studying habits.

She was a nice girl, sociable despite her somehow timid nature, and always had the best intentions in everything she did, even if she ended up screwing more often than not. She was naturally curious, to the point many would call it a flaw, and very competitive when given the chance. She enjoyed listening to anime soundtracks and recently started a hobby of baking.

If someone were to describe Hiraga Sachiko in one word, it would be: average.

Her mother often told her she should find a good husband as soon as she graduated from school. Her father was a little more supportive: he wanted her to study and work before settling down. Her teachers often said she needed to put more effort in school. Her friends treated her like a little girl who needed to be taken care of, less she hurt herself unintentionally.

She wasn't stupid, though she had to admit she had a hard time following what other people said. Everyone she knew decided to do things for her instead of letting her try and learn. They told her she was slow and an airhead; and she needn't try so hard for things. People had very little expectations of her, and as a result, she herself had little expectations for her future.

Sometimes she would fantasize with things like studying medicine or law, or trying to enter Tokyo University, to see if that could impress the people around her, but they always stayed as just that: fantasies. After all, she didn't have the capacity. Everyone said so. It was a fact.

But, knowing this, made life very boring for her. She envied anime and manga characters, who could overcome all sorts of obstacles and live out life as they wanted. Boredom brought apathy, and apathy soon turned to desperation to find some excitement to fill her life with.

She tried new things. She started to work part-time in a family restaurant, owned by one of her deceased grandmother's friends. She picked up learning to play the flute. She asked her mother to teach her how to sew. She began to play video-games, something she had never done before.

It wasn't enough. It was driving her crazy how nothing could fill her. How nothing could make the apathy fade away. As a last resort, she asked one of her friends to set her up in a blind date with one of her boyfriend's friends. She wasn't desperate for a boyfriend, but she thought having one would help finally fill the hole she felt inside her at all times. To wipe out the boredom that slowly but surely was consuming her mind.

She would have never guessed, the excitement she looked for, would appear in the form of a magical mirror in the middle of the street, and a small but angry strawberry-blond boy.

* * *

 **A/N: And that was it. Just a small introduction so you can see for yourselves some of the changes with Saito as a girl. What I really wanted to show here was a little of Sachiko's life pre-summoning.** **I'll bring the first chapter in a few days. Oh, and if you're wondering about the name, I read the name Saeko going around the web. Personally, I don't like it, and I actually know someone named Sachiko in real life. That's it.**


	2. Chapter 1: Summoned

**A/N: Here it is, the first chapter. I promise this time the author's note will be short.**

 **Not much to say, really. I take inspiration from the manga, anime, and especially the light novel, but there are some things that purely come from my imagination. The last thing I want this story to be is a copy and paste from the novels, so I'm sorry if this first chapter, or the first novel adaptation in general, looks too much like that. I'll try harder, I swear.**

* * *

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 1: Summoned**

 **...**

Sachiko blinks, her mouth opening in a small 'o', surprise and confusion filling her. In front of her there is a mirror. Well, at least that's what it looks like, because she can't see her reflection on it.

The mirror-like object has the form of an ellipse. It's large, around two meters tall and one wide. Sachiko stares. It has just appeared in front of her, while she was walking home from work, her recently repaired laptop inside her backpack hanging from her shoulder. She scans the object, and has to scrub her eyes, making sure she's seeing right, when she realizes the mirror is actually floating a few centimeters above the ground.

She bites her lower lip, glancing around. There are people on the street, but none of them seems to have noticed the mirror. In fact, it almost looks as if they can't see it, which is odd, because it's not exactly small, and its surface reflects the sunlight in quite an obvious dance.

She's not sure of what to do. Maybe she should ignore it, but another glance at it convinces her of investigating a little more. Her curiosity is stronger at moments like these. She looks at the other side. The mirror has apparently no thickness at all. Tentatively, she takes out the keys of her house and pokes the mirror with them, they sink pass the surface, and she retreats her hand, a little afraid.

She keeps staring, her mind running over a thousand possibilities. _Maybe it's a trick of the light? I'm standing in the exact spot to see it unfolding unlike the others… or could it be real? In that case, what is this? Why has it appeared now? Is it… dangerous?_ She gulps at the last question. If that is the case, she would do better just turning around and not looking back. But she's too curious for her own good, and instead of feeling afraid, she feels a new resolution dawning on her.

 _I'll walk through it._ That's the only way to find out if it really is just a trick of the light or something else. Puffing out her chest, she readjusts her backpack and raises her right foot… just to put it down a second later. She isn't very sure, after all. _If it really is dangerous, I should make sure of that first._ She nods to herself, kneeling and grabbing a pebble from the ground. She tosses it and quickly goes to see where it landed on the other side. When she gets there, there's no pebble in sight. _This doesn't give me a good feeling…_

She sighs, feeling some people staring at her with raised eyebrows, probably wondering what she's doing standing in the middle of the street. She ignores them. Slowly, she raises one finger and touches the mirror. There's a little current of electricity going through her at this action. Not enough to hurt, but enough to make her take away her hand and give out a long breath.

 _It's alright, you touched it and nothing happened, see? There's nothing to worry about_. She's not sure if she really means what she thinks, or why she even feels compelled to cross the mirror, but she does, and she can't realize she's already making excuses. _Nothing will happen if I just walk through it, I mean, what's the worst that can happen? Getting transported to another world?_ She laughs for a second, finding the mere concept ridiculous. This is not a manga. This is real life.

Taking a deep breath, she makes up her mind. She closes her eyes and walks before she can stop herself. The moment she does, she feels a piercing sensation going through her body. It feels a lot like the current of electricity she felt when she touched the mirror with her finger, but ten times worse. She thinks she screams in pain, but before she can get another coherent thought, consciousness slips from her grasp, and she becomes completely numb.

When she opens her eyes, she is no longer in Tokyo.

* * *

"Who are you?" she hears the voice as soon as she opens her eyes, before she can get them to adjust to the sudden light. She blinks, closes her eyes for a long second, and opens them again. This time, there's a figure towering over her. It blocks out the sunlight, allowing her to get used to it faster. She groans, her intention being asking the person to repeat the question, but just coming out as some unintelligible murmur.

She hears a sigh, and then the person is kneeling, letting the sun take its revenge on her cruelly. She covers her eyes with her arms, using the muscles of her abdomen to lift herself to a sitting position. Slowly, her senses return to her. She puts down her arms and blinks a few more times.

The person sighs again, and she turns towards the sound. The moment she sees him, her breath gets caught in her throat. It's a boy, young, more than her. Short, curly strawberry-blond hair frames his childish face. His eyes are an earthy red-brown, surrounded by impossibly long eyelashes. Full red lips are slightly open in what appears to be shock, a stark contrast to his white, perfect skin.

He's the most beautiful thing Sachiko has ever seen. She doubts even angels can be this beautiful, and for a moment she can do nothing else but stare. The boy raises an eyebrow when she doesn't say anything, and clears his throat loudly, annoyance quickly replacing the shock it adorned his precious face. Sachiko blushes, turning her face away when she realizes what she's been doing.

"And?" he asks. His voice is a perfect baritone, sweet, like that of a child, but deep and manly, sending shudders down her spine. "Are you going to tell me who you are?"

Her eyes open wide. That's right; he's the one who asked her that question as soon as she woke up. She opens her mouth unsurely. "I-I'm…" she clears her throat after hearing that horrible slur in her voice. Her face fires up. "I'm Sachiko. Hiraga Sachiko."

"Where are you from, commoner?"

… _Commoner?_ Sachiko's confused. She intends to ask what is it that he means by that, but another voice interrupts her before she can.

"What is this? What are you trying to do, calling a commoner using 'summon servant'?"

A chorus of voices starts laughing. Sachiko looks in that direction. She was so distracted by the beautiful boy in front of her she didn't notice anything else. She is sitting in an open field, fresh green grass under her palms. At a distance, she can see a dark, luscious forest. Nearer, a castle hovers over her, like those she usually sees in European photographs.

Apart from her and the boy, a group of people, all of them looking close to her age, stand. They have what appears to be a uniform: white shirts and black pants for the boys, blouses and plaid skirts for the girls. They are wearing what appears to be a cloak, black, and in their hands they're holding sticks. Upon closer examination, she notices the boy is wearing the same as them, holding a stick in his hand too.

He stands up, a fierce blush spreading across his face. "I… I just made a little mistake!" he shouts, apparently embarrassed, his voice carrying with a hidden potency underlying it.

"What mistake are you talking about? Nothing unusual happened."

"Naturally, after all, he's Louis the Zero!"

Their laughs get louder. The boy, who is apparently named Louis, trembles, his knuckles turning white around the stick in his hand. Sachiko feels bad for him. She doesn't understand the situation, but it seems like they're making fun of him.

"Mr. Colbert!" he calls. The crowd parts, revealing a middle-aged man with a balding head. He's completely draped in a black robe, and holds a staff of sorts. For a moment Sachiko doesn't know if to laugh because he looks ridiculous, or start getting concerned. She decides for the latter.

"What is it, Mr. Vallière?"

"Please let me try the summoning one more time!"

 _What are they talking about? What summoning are they referring to?_ The effect sleepiness had in her is wearing out, and she finally starts questioning what she is doing in this place. _Let's see, I was on the street, and that mirror appeared…_

"I cannot allow that, Mr. Vallière."

 _I crossed it, stupid of me, and I fainted. Then I woke up and this boy… Louis, he asked me who I am and where I am from…_

"Why is that?"

 _And now it turns out there's a lot of people here. Come to think of it, aren't all of them foreigners? Where am I? How did I end up here? It surely is the mirror's fault, but that doesn't explain…_

"It is strictly forbidden. Once you are promoted to a second year student, you must summon a familiar, which is what you just did."

 _Is this a school? It looks like it. But, are there really these kinds of castles in Japan? Could it be I'm actually in another country? On the other hand, even if I know where I am, that doesn't explain how I ended up here. Or what is this crowd doing here…_

"Your elemental specialty is decided by the familiar that you summon. It enables you to advance to the appropriate courses for that element. You cannot change the familiar once you have summoned it because the 'Springtime Familiar Summoning' is a sacred rite. Whether you like it or not, you have no choice but to take her."

 _Maybe it's a movie set. That would explain that man's weird attire and why they are all dressed the same._ Sachiko shakes her head. _No, this is too big to be a movie set. Maybe it's a new theme park? But I don't see any games, and anyway, that still doesn't explain how I ended here…_

"But I never heard of a commoner being summoned as a familiar…"

Laugh explodes once again, distracting Sachiko from her thoughts and causing Louis' blush to burn harder. He scowls at the crowd, but they don't stop laughing. Sachiko sighs mentally. The middle-aged man ignores them and continues talking to Louis.

"This is tradition Mr. Vallière. I cannot allow any exceptions. She" he points at Sachiko, and she's taken aback; "may be a commoner, but as long as she was summoned by you, it means she is your familiar" _f-familiar? What does he mean by 'familiar'?_ "Never in history has a human been summoned as a familiar, but the Springtime Familiar Summoning takes precedence over every rule. In other words, she must be your familiar."

 _Springtime Familiar Summoning… summoned by… familiar… this, w-what is this?_ Sachiko is seriously beginning to get scared, now that she is actually listening to what they are saying. For a moment they sounded a lot like… _Kidnapping! I've been kidnapped by some strange cult, and now I'm going to get sacrificed! The mirror was a trap! I… I need to get away from here!_

"You got to be joking…" Louis' shoulders sag in disappointment. Slowly, Sachiko stands up; calculating the time it would take her to reach the forest. _They shouldn't be able to catch me if I start running now, should they?_

"Well then, continue with the ceremony."

"With _her_?!"

"Yes, with her! Now hurry up! How much more time are you going to make us waste?" everyone in the crowd voices their complaints, leading Louis to a corner. He grits his teeth, before turning towards his familiar. He catches her just as she is beginning to leave.

"Wait just a second!" he shouts, running and catching her quickly, roughly grabbing her wrist and turning her around. Sachiko winces, tries to get free, but he is surprisingly strong. "I can't believe this! You are actually trying to escape!"

More laughs are heard after this statement, but unlike the other times, Louis ignores them. He is as tall as she is, maybe a little taller, she can't be sure as he is dragging her to the center of the field, but even like that, he manages to impose himself over her without much difficulty. She no longer struggles and he releases her, the sudden halt forcing her to fall on her butt.

He stares at her for a long moment. Sachiko can't determine his expression. The closest she can come up with is dejection, but she thinks there's more to it than just that. She doesn't have time to wonder, Louis starts talking.

"You should count yourself lucky. Normally you'd go your whole life without a noble doing this to you."

She tilts her head. She's already noticed it, but this boy speaks in an odd way. He's already called her a commoner, and now he's referring to himself as a noble. _He might be cute, but he is not quite right on the head. Well, he's part of this cult, so that should speak for itself._

He kneels down next to her, and she is reminded that this guy might be dangerous. She tries to back away, but he stops her, placing a hand on her shoulder. He sighs with an air of resignation, and raises the stick in his hand, waving it a few times.

"My name is Louis François LeBlanc de La Vallière. Pentagon of the five elemental powers; bless this humble being and make her my familiar."

He repeats the words a few more times, as if trying to assure something, before pointing the stick to her head. She closes her eyes, waiting for a hit, but instead, he simply touches her forehead with the tip. She's surprised. She slowly opens her eyes, just to find his face a few centimeters from hers. She panics.

"W-wait a second! What are y-?" she can't finish, his lips are already touching hers. The kiss is short, he retreats instantly and wipes his mouth, but Sachiko is left numb. She has never felt something so soft. Even if it was one pesky second, the sensation of his lips remain on hers, tickling her slightly and making her heart bump imperiously in her chest.

"It is done" he murmurs, not looking at her but to the ground. She blinks. Then, she realizes it. That was her first kiss. Her first kiss was stolen by this cute, foreign boy. Her face heats up. Louis' face is also red. _Why is he so embarrassed? He's the one who kissed me!_

She's angry now. "Hey you! Why did you kiss me brat?!" she yells. She doesn't often get angry. Or rather, she doesn't often show she's angry. Normally she just shuts up, enduring other people's comments about her with a smile, because her mother says women have to be more level-headed, and that guys don't like girls who get angry easily, but this is too much. _First he kidnaps me and now he steals my first kiss. There's a limit to how rude can someone be!_

Louis stands up, eyeing her with annoyance. His eyes show anger, but it's not enough to deter Sachiko. "Who do you think you are calling a brat, commoner? Be more respectful when in front of a noble!"

"And who do you think you're calling a commoner? When you're nothing but a religious fr-!" suddenly, she feels her body heating up. The heat concentrates in her left hand. She stands up with a jump, shaking it in a vain attempt to get rid of the pain. "It burns! What have you done to me?!"

"The runes of the familiar are being inscribed. Don't be so loud and just wait for it to end" he says in an irritated voice, crossing his arms. Sachiko shakes her head.

"No! It, it…" but then, as soon as it appeared, the heat is gone. She looks down to her left hand and gasps. There, where there used to be nothing but flawless skin, there's an intricate pattern. She touches it with her other hand. It's not hot, and it doesn't have a contour. It feels just like normal skin. She wants to cry.

"That was fast" the middle-aged man from before steps closer. He takes Sachiko's hand without her permission and examines the pattern. Sachiko wants to take her hand away from him, but she feels her knees trembling, and she's scared they're going to fail her anytime now. "Even though you failed 'summon servant' many times, you succeeded with 'contract servant' in the first try… these are very unusual runes…" he murmurs the last part mostly to himself.

"Of course he succeeded with summon servant! She's only a commoner!"

"Exactly, if it would have been some powerful beast, he wouldn't have been able to make it!"

"He is Louis the Zero. Do you really think he would have been able to summon some magical beast? Even asking for a mouse would have been too much for him!"

"I believe he would have had problems with that even!"

The crowd laughs. Louis closes his hands in fists. He looks as if he's about to explode. The middle-aged man intervenes before he can.

"Quiet! Nobles ought to show each other the proper respect!" at this the crowd quiets considerably. There are a few who are still snickering, but no one says anything else. Sachiko gets more confused the more she hears. _So it's not only this Louis guy, all of them are crazy!_ What else did she expect? They're all members of some cult or new religion. She's sure she has to get away now, before it is too late. She steps back, now that they're all distracted. "Well, with this done, we should go back to class."

The man turns on his heels, and gently roses in the air. Sachiko gapes. Then, everyone else does the same. For a moment she's stunned. She whips her head around, looking for cables, anything, but she can only find grass, and the wide, clear blue sky.

"Who are you?!" she loses it. No one pays attention to her.

"You better _walk_ back, Louis!"

"He shouldn't try flying. He can't even manage levitation."

"A commoner is perfect as your familiar!"

The crowd jeers at Louis as they float away. Sachiko can't wrap her mind around this fact alone. They are _floating_. _What kind of cult is this, really?!_

Once they are all gone, Louis looks to her. His mouth is pursed down in a frown, his shoulders shaking slightly. But he manages to talk in a calmed, if chilling, voice. "First, you are going to tell me exactly who you are" he raises one finger with each sentence; "second, you'll tell me where did you come from, and third, you're going to explain what right do you, a commoner, think you have, to talk to a noble such as me the way you did!" his voice isn't so calm anymore. Sachiko is not paying attention though. She walks up to him, grabbing his shoulders and shaking him.

"You saw that, didn't you? They all flew! _Flew_! Who are you? Where are we? Why am I here? And what's with this about nobles and commoners and flying-!"

"Don't touch me!" he pushes her, almost managing to throw her on the ground again, but she finds her balance and remains standing. Louis dusts his shoulders, as if he's disgusted. "My name is Louis François LeBlanc de La Vallière. I am a noble mage and you're in the Tristain Academy of Magic. You're here because…" he looks down, this time his face showing real embarrassment. The expression is kinda cute, and Sachiko can't help but feel herself easing a little; "you're here because I summoned you to be my familiar… now answer my questions!"

"Ah" it's not enough; this doesn't answer anything she's asked. "I still don't get it. Academy of magic you say, and that I'm your familiar, but…"

"Oh, for the love of…" he drags a hand down his face with impatience. "Yes, I am a mage and you're my familiar. Now answer me. Who. Are. You."

He speaks slowly, as if he's treating with an animal. This makes her angry again. She straightens her back, showing as much dignity as she can. "I'm Hiraga Sachiko, I already said that, and… I still don't get where I am…"

"But how!?" he looks at the sky, exasperated. "From what kind of backwoods do you come from? You don't seem to understand anything!"

"Backwoods? This is the backwoods! Tokyo is nothing like this!"

"Oh, so _now_ you are cooperating" he rolls his eyes and crosses his arms; "and where is Tokyo anyway? In what country is it?"

"Japan."

"Never heard of it."

"Oh, please!" this is ridiculous. It feels as if they're not speaking the same language. "And by the way, I still don't get half the stuff you said earlier. What do you mean that I'm your familiar? Shouldn't familiars be… not human?!"

"That's right, but for some unfortunate reason it looks you are mine. Ugh, this is so _unfair_. I wanted something cool like a dragon or a manticore or a griffin. Even a cat or owl would have been _a thousand times better_."

"Dragon or…? Do those things really exist? Along with the mages?" things are starting to connect in Sachiko's head. After everything she saw and felt; could this really be true? Could this mean she's… she's…

"Well, you've probably never seen them before" Louis says, real pity in his voice.

Sachiko stares blankly at him. Then, she faints.

* * *

For a second time, Sachiko wakes up in a different place from where she lost consciousness. She can see a dark ceiling, dancing forms on it indicating the room is illuminated by a candle. At least she thinks she's in a room. She feels cold, and when she moves a little she realizes she's once again lying on the ground. She groans, sitting up and stroking her head. For some reason it hurts.

"What happened?" she asks to herself.

"Finally" another voice says. She freezes, not having expected that. "I was beginning to think you would sleep until morning."

She whips her head, seeing a foreign boy sitting at a table a mere meter away from her. He has a piece of bread in his right hand. There's an oil lamp next to him, the source of the light. Sachiko stands up with a jump. She backs away in fear.

"Who are you?!" she screams. The back of her knees suddenly hit something, and she ends up sitting on a bed she didn't know was behind her. The boy stands up immediately, anger shining in his eyes.

"Hey, don't sit on my bed!" he stomps towards her. Scared, Sachiko jumps from the bed and keeps backing until her back crashes with a wall. She's trapped, but she shouldn't worry too much, as the boy is no longer approaching her, instead looking at her with a frown and slightly concerned expression. "What's going on with you? What are you so scared of?"

She gulps. Is he really asking that? She wakes up in a strange room, his bedroom apparently, and he still wonders why is she scared?

As if reading her mind, the boy rolls his eyes and crosses his arms. "Don't tell me you have forgotten everything from this afternoon?" he asks in a jaded tone. Sachiko frowns, but she's too afraid to talk. She simply nods, at the same time trying to remember things on her own. " _Great_ , now we'll have to pass through all that again. I just hope you don't end up fainting again" he walks back to the table and sits down, taking the bread he left and eating little pieces as he talks. Sachiko notices a few empty dishes and a wineglass too. He must have just had dinner. "I summoned you this afternoon during the Springtime Familiar Summoning. After the contract was made, you suddenly lost your mind and started asking stupid questions, like where we are and why mages fly" he rolls his eyes, as if finding Sachiko's worries ridiculous. "You fainted after that and I had to carry you here. End of the story" he pushes his dishes to the center of the table once he's finished, and looks at her with a raised eyebrow, waiting for her to talk.

Sachiko is astounded. She is slowly remembering the events of the afternoon. Even though she should be scared, confused or in shock, the only thing she can think of is the moment they apparently made the contract. Of how sweet his lips were on hers, and how, looking at him now, she wishes she could approach him and lean in for a proper kiss.

She shakes her head, surprised she can even think about something so trivial when there are more important things to worry about. She bites her lips, daring to give a step forward.

"So, that wasn't a dream?"

Louis, that's his name, she remembers, gives her a dry smile. "Unfortunately, yes, it was not a dream."

They remain silent after that. Sachiko's mind is rallying. She was summoned by this boy. She made a contract, unwillingly, with this boy. People started floating. Dragons exist. And mages… and the boy that summoned her is a mage…

"Well" Louis stands up; stretching once he made sure Sachiko didn't have anything else to say. "Now that this is settled, it's time for bed" he approaches a wardrobe and opens a drawer. Sachiko blinks in surprise. So that was it? No explanation, no apology, no… nothing?

"So, where are we, really? You didn't explain anything at all. There are a lot of things I don't understand. To be honest, this is the first time I ever heard of real mages" she admits, hoping he would see he owed her a few explanations. She tries to remember her elementary and middle school geography classes and if she ever learned of a country with mages, but she can't remember any of that. _But then, maybe it's a secret country?_ The thought somehow excites her.

Louis frowns, taking out what looks like a robe. He turns towards the bed and places the garment on top of it, before starting to unbutton his shirt.

"You're kidding, right?" the shirt is halfway open. Sachiko politely looks away, a soft blush spreading on her face. "From all the things I've heard you say today, this is certainly the most ridiculous. How can it be you've never heard of mages before? Of the Tristain Academy of Magic?" Sachiko feels something hitting her back. She tries to catch it, realizing once she has it in her hands that it's his shirt. "I want you to wash that for tomorrow."

"Excuse me?" she can't help but ask. She feels another thing hitting her back. This time it's his pants. "Stop that! Why should I wash your c-!" she plans on screaming at him, but the moment she looks at him she freezes. Louis is completely naked except for his underwear.

She swallows, not knowing where to look. It's not the first time Sachiko sees a half-naked man. She has seen many of her male classmates wearing trunks for the beach during their field trip last summer, and even if she's not used to hanging out with guys, there's no reason for her to feel so nervous. But she does. Louis looks strong, with lean muscles that are not chiseled but show he is of the sporty kind. His posture is elegant, and she can't help but think the word 'noble' does fit him in that regard. She glances away, trying to hide her blush and reprimanding herself again. This isn't like her. Usually she would wait until she was sure he wasn't looking so she could stare.

Louis raises an eyebrow at her silence. He crosses his arms and decides to ignore her strange behavior. "Because you are my familiar" he's answering her question, so Sachiko looks again, interested. "Laundry, cleaning and other menial tasks, are naturally your job" he glances down, murmuring to himself; "after all, I don't think you could do much more" but for the way he doesn't lowers his voice enough, it's clear he doesn't care if she listens or not.

Sachiko scowls, offended; "as if I would do that! I'm not a servant, you know?" she tosses the clothes back at him and stands straight. No matter the situation, he couldn't simply tell her to start doing his chores. Besides, he still needs to explain a lot of things to her.

Louis stays still for a moment, the clothes he didn't catch sliding down until they hit the floor. Looking at his eyes, Sachiko can't help but fear. He approaches her fast, yanking her left wrist and twitching it until the back of her hand is at her eye-level. She groans in pain, but he doesn't seem to care. "You _are_ a **servant**. This runes mark you as mine, in other words, I'm your master, and if I tell you to do something, you _**will do it**_. Do you understand?"

He releases her. Sachiko hugs her wrist, caressing the soreness away. He turns around again, grabbing his robe. She pouts involuntarily. "I never accepted being your familiar…"

"You crossed the portal. That is enough acceptance" he puts on the robe, before letting out a sigh. "Listen, I don't want to have to be cruel to you. It's obvious you like this situation as much as me, but right now we don't have much of a choice. So I say, let's try to do this as bearable as possible. You do your chores and treat me with the proper respect, and I promise I'll do my best to make you feel comfortable. I'll support you and, if you behave properly enough, I could even give you a little allowance. I'll let you visit your family during vacation too. So, what do you say?" he turns around, trying his best to give her a smile.

She is nowhere in the room. The door cringes with the wind coming from the hallway. It is slightly ajar.

A few seconds pass.

"THAT FAMILIAR!"

* * *

"Familiar or not, there's no way I'm going to stay here just to become a servant to that arrogant brat!" Sachiko descends the stairs while saying this. She might be in a secret country full of mages, but that doesn't mean she can't find a way back home, right? She managed to retrieve her backpack from under the table. In it she only has a few yens, her laptop and a bag of candies. She's not sure how she's going to do it. She never thought she could be in a situation like this. But she has no one to help her, and she trembles just thinking what can happen to her if she stays with that guy and really does become his servant.

She reaches the end of the stairs and she's lost. The hallway opens up in both directions. After a quick look, she sees lights on the right. She decides to take that path, being careful to be fast but quiet. Before reaching the door, she can already hear the voices.

"I don't know if it would interest you, but I always receive a lot of compliments about my soufflé. If it's alright with you, would you like to taste it?" a girl's voice says. Sachiko can see a couple in the illuminated hallway. The girl is leaning against the wall. She has chestnut hair and a brown cloak. The boy is blond and wears a black cloak. He has one hand resting on the wall, next to the girl's head in a classic flirting position.

"I'll be delighted. If it's something sweet Katie has made especially for me, I'm sure it will be the most delicious soufflé in the world" the boy has charm, Sachiko can feel it in his voice. She kneels down and starts crawling towards the other end of the hallway. Being so enraptured in their talk, they surely won't notice her if she's silent enough.

"Really? You're not saying that just because?" the girl is bubbling with happiness. Sachiko almost reaches a door on the left. She hopes it will lead her to the exit.

"Of course; there can't be any falsehood in my feelings for you" that's a cliché line and even Sachiko knows it, but the girl seems content enough with it.

"Guiche…"

"Katie…" there's a little silence. Then; "hey, isn't that the familiar Louis summoned today?"

Sachiko curses under her breath. She sees no point in kneeling anymore, so she stands up, dusting herself up.

"Oh, yes, the commoner. It is big new even among the first years" the girl says, eyeing her curiously.

"What are you doing here?"

"Um, well…" she turns around, finally looking at the two. The girl is pretty. She has big blue eyes and her straight hair reaches her shoulders. On the other hand, the boy is gorgeous. Golden curly hair and baby blue eyes that makes him look like an angel. _Ok, what is it with this place and his boys? Whoever's running the genes factory for males here seriously needs to stop… or at least share some of their secrets with Japan._ She clears her throat, trying not to stare… again. "I was wondering; do you know where the exit is? My… my master asked me to do… a thing… outside, but I don't know how to get out of this building…" that is a poor excuse. She closes her eyes, waiting for them to find out and take her back to Louis. Instead, something else happens.

"Oh, in that case you just have to follow this hallway until you reach the entrance hall. There's a fountain there, you can't miss it" the boy tells her kindly. She feels like she could kiss him, and not only because he's breathtakingly good-looking.

"Thank you so much!" she bows down before bolting in the direction he indicated. Guiche and Katie watch her run until she disappears around a corner. They look at each other.

"Such lack of elegance…" Guiche sighs. The next second, they hear steps approaching them. They look in the other direction in time to see Louis appear. His hair is disheveled, and it looks as if he put on his clothes in a hurry. "Oh, Louis, just now, you familiar" Guiche starts saying flamboyantly.

Louis shakes his head, getting closer. "Help me catch her" his voice permeates with a bit of anxiousness. Guiche frowns.

"Catch her?"

"Yes, she's running away" he's getting irritated. He doesn't like when people don't get things at once. Guiche blinks.

"But, didn't you ask her to do something for you outside?"

"I didn't. That's what she told you? In any case, that doesn't matter, help me catch her."

Guiche thinks for another second, before he bursts out laughing. He holds his stomach and wipes a tear from his eye; "a familiar running from its master? Truly, these things only happen to you, Louis the Zero" his voice no longer carries mirth. He's staring at Louis mockingly.

Louis finally loses his patience. He takes out his wand, pointing it at Guiche's head. "I won't repeat myself anymore. Help me catch her, or I'll blow you up."

"O-Ok, there's no need to resort to violence!"

Sachiko is already passing the fountain, gleefully noticing there's no one around. The next thing she has to solve is how to get out of the castle, because she's sure she's inside that castle she saw on the field, and then find a town where she can get a hold of a phone and call the police. She jumps down the short steps separating the courtyard from the hall, and runs in a random direction. It'll be better if she hides until Louis stops searching for her.

She doesn't manage to reach far, before her feet suddenly and without explanation separate from the ground. She gasps, her backpack sliding from her grasp as she floats in the air.

"Ahhh! What's going on?! Put me down!" she screams, scared.

"I would like to do that, but I appreciate having my head attached to my body too much to do so" a voice she recognizes says. Even though she can't see him, Sachiko knows it's that guy, Guiche.

"Very funny Guiche, now put her down" the one speaking now is Louis, and Sachiko would groan if not because she's still floating in the air. A second passes, and then her body is rocking from side to side. She lets out a whimper of fear. "Hey, I told you to put her down!"

"What? I'm doing you a favor by disciplining your familiar, so she doesn't attempt to escape again. Besides, it's only a bit of good-intentioned fun."

"Good-intentioned my butt! Put me down immediately, this is-!" Sachiko finds her voice again. She's getting angry, but it only takes her one look at the night sky to shut her up definitely.

"Well, it's enough already. Put her down" Louis demands after a few seconds had passed. Sachiko has not move at all in that time, and he's worried she might have fainted again. Guiche shrugs, and with a flip of his wand dissolves the spell he put on her. Without trying to diminish her fall at all.

"Ouch" the groan is soft despite the height she fell from. Louis frowns at Guiche.

"You could have been a little gentler."

"You need to complain about every single thing, don't you? Relax, she's fine. Look! She's even standing!" more than standing, what Sachiko really is doing could be described as crawling. She uses her elbows to prop herself up. The fall is taking its toll on her, but she's glad it at least managed to wake her up from the state of shock she fell into when…

Her eyes swell with tears. She can't help a few sobs from escaping her mouth. She sits up and covers her face. Louis and Guiche are left speechless.

"Um, well, Katie is waiting for me so…" Guiche is fast as he enters the dormitory and disappears from sight. He practically leaves marks on the ground. Louis follows his retreating form with narrowed, angry eyes. He turns to look at Sachiko, and his expression changes. He looks very uncomfortable as he approaches her and kneels next to her.

"So…" he clears his throat. Sachiko stiffens, but she doesn't look at him. Her hands are covering her eyes so he can't see her tears except for when they roll down her face, joining and hanging on her chin until they fall to the ground because of their weight. "Are you hurt somewhere?"

She shakes her head, but she doesn't uncover her face. For some reason this is making Louis angry. He takes in a big mouthful of air, willing himself to calm down. His mother and sisters would hang him if he leaves a girl crying alone, even if she's just a familiar.

"What is it then?" he's not good at comforting people. He doesn't know what to do. He knows though, that if she doesn't stop crying in the next five minutes, he'll have to forcefully drag her back to his bedroom. They can't spend the whole night outside after all. Luckily for the two of them, Sachiko sniffs before finally pulling her hands from her face. Her eyes are closed, her face still facing the ground, but she doesn't need to look at him to point skywards, her hands trembling slightly. Louis looks up, and frowns. "What are you pointing at?"

"The moons" she whispers. Louis is confused.

"Yes… what about them?"

"There are two… one red and the other blue…"

"…Yes, there are two moons… Why is that important anyway?" Sachiko lets out a dry laugh, shaking her head softly and finally meeting his eyes. They're puffed, and some tears are still hanging from her eyelashes.

"I get it now. This is not my home. This is a completely different world. I… I'm trapped in another world" she feels like laughing. Before crossing the mirror she joked about that, but she never thought it would turn out to be true. At the thought she actually begins to laugh softly, nervousness dripping from her voice.

Louis raises his eyebrows. "So, you're saying you… come from a different world?"

"Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying."

They stare at each other for a few minutes, maybe trying to measure the other's reaction. When it starts to become unbearable, Louis opens his mouth.

"Liar."

* * *

"It doesn't use any element of magic, you say…"

Back in Louis' bedroom, the boy is sitting in his desk. In front of him there's a strange object, something that looks like a silver book made of metal. It is opened at an odd angle, but the most impressive thing about it is what he can see in it. It's like a magical mirror, but instead of reflecting him, it is showing him the image of a mountain covered in snow.

Sachiko nods vehemently. "No magic, pure technology" she makes some grand gesture with her hands that manage to make Louis' frown even deeper. He leans back on the chair, crossing his arms and pursing his lips. "So, do you believe me now?" she grabs the book, presses a button and the mirror's surface becomes black. She closes it and looks at him expectantly.

Louis lets out a pensive hum. "I don't know… it sounds so strange…"

"Oh, come on! Have you ever seen anything like this before?" she points to the book still in her hands.

"No, but…"

"Then believe me please!" he growls in annoyance at her insistence. Ever since coming back inside she's only been going on and on about coming from a different world where there's only one moon and magic doesn't exist and they have this thing called 'technology'… he's seriously getting tired, so, to prevent her from continuing endlessly, he sighs loudly, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Fine, I believe you. Are you happy now?"

"No, now you have to send me back."

"That's not possible, I'm afraid."

"Huh? Why?!" she shouts, slamming the laptop on the desk. Louis isn't thrilled.

"Hey, don't you dare yell at me you commoner!"

"Who the hell are you calling a commoner?!"

"You, of course!"

"I am not a commoner!"

"Well, you can't use magic, can you? That means you're a commoner!"

"Ugh, this is ridiculous!" Sachiko pulls at her hair. Louis huffs angrily and crosses his arms.

"I agree with that. Let's get this conversation over with" he stands up and walks towards his bed. Sachiko looks at him with narrowed eyes.

"Can you at least tell me why can't you send me back?"

Louis groans, starting to unbutton his shirt, making Sachiko glance away again. "There is no spell that can connect your world and this one."

"If that's the case, how did I end up here?"

"I wish I knew!" he throws the shirt at the floor, next to her feet. Sachiko growls. "Normally 'summon servant' is only used to summon creatures from within Halkeginia, or in its defect, other parts of the world. This is the first time I've ever seen it working on a human, more so one from another world!"

"Don't talk as if this has nothing to do with you. Now then, why don't you just use that 'summon familiar'…"

"Servant."

"Whatever it is again!"

Louis snorts, beginning to put on the robe. "And why should I do that?"

"It might send me back."

"I highly doubt so" he sits on the bed and crosses both his legs and arms. "Summon servant is a one way spell. It is useful when you want a familiar, but only then. Besides, even if I do use it again, it will be useless. The spell only works at the moment of summoning. In order for it to work again the first familiar you summoned has to be dead."

Sachiko gulps, unconsciously taking a step back. Louis gives her a grim smile. "Do you want to die?"

"I-I think I pass…"

A heavy silence falls upon them. Sachiko bites her lips and looks at him from the corner of her eye. Even in this situation, she can't help but find him so incredibly attractive. Not even in Japan she found boys who were as handsome as him. She feels a bit deflated that she has met him in this kind of situation. On the other hand, even if she had met him in her world, as an exchange student or something, she most likely wouldn't have had the courage to talk to him.

That had always been her problem. She could talk with boys when they didn't hold her interest or when they already had girlfriends, but give her a good-looking, single guy and she wouldn't be able to put two words together. The only reason she was able to talk to Louis now was because there was something more important to worry about than being in the presence of a beautiful guy.

 _That's right, this is not Japan. What should I do? Should I leave this place as soon as I have the chance? But… that doesn't change the fact I'm trapped in a different world. There's no way I can find my way back on my own…_ that only leaves her with one option: staying with Louis, learning everything she can about this world and then go looking for a way back to hers. _I don't like that idea at all, but I've got no choice. Well, who knows, maybe I can even convince him to search for a way back to my world with me. He seems to want me gone as much as I do._

She sighs. "Fine then, I'll become your familiar."

"What was that?"

"That I'll be your familiar" she repeats, louder. Louis narrows his eyes.

"Mind your language. If you're going to be my familiar from now on, you'll have to learn to respect me, is that clear?"

"Yeah, sure, hey, what does a familiar do?" she ignores him and he growls, but answers her anyway.

"Nothing too extravagant, really. A familiar is a mage's companion. It helps its master in various tasks, like granting an enhancing in vision and hearing, or searches for special reagents…"

"En…hancing? Reagents?"

"It doesn't matter. You can't do that anyway" he dismisses the matter with a wave of his hand. Sachiko frowns. "But, the most important task for a familiar is to protect its master at all costs! Nothing is more important for a familiar than the safety of its master" he frowns then, glaring at her, "of course, you can't do that either…"

"Since I'm a human..."

"A powerful magical beast would almost always beat its enemies, but I don't think you could even beat a raven."

"Shut up."

"That's why you're only going to do things you're capable of; meaning cleaning, laundry and other menial tasks."

"That's offensive. I don't want to do any of that."

"Oh, really?" his tone of voice is daring, as if talking to a child who refuses to eat vegetables. "That's funny. Tell me, who do you think it's going to support you? Who's going to give you food? In whose room are you going to sleep?" Sachiko bites her tongue. She can feel her face flushing from anger. "Good, now that that's clear, I'm going to sleep" he pulls the covers from the bed, ready to get inside it. Sachiko has one more thing to say though.

"Um, Louis…"

"Don't freely use my name" she resists the urge to roll her eyes. Clearing her throat, she tries again.

"Then, master…"

"Yes?"

"If it's time to sleep… can you take this off me?" she points at the leash wrapped around her neck, which is attached to the wall. Sachiko has no idea why he even has something like this, but she prefers not to think about it.

She hears a snort. "And risk having you escaping again? No thanks."

"I won't escape. Where would I even run off to?"

"That didn't stop you the first time."

"I didn't know I was in another world!"

"Whatever, I prefer not taking any chances. Now sleep" he snaps his fingers, and the light from the lamp dies out. _So the lamp is magical too…_

"Where do I sleep?"

"I gave you a blanket. Use the floor" Sachiko is about to protest; "complain once more and you can forget about breakfast tomorrow!"

Sachiko closes her mouth, her body shaking. She kneels, grabs the blanket and pulls it over her head. Luckily the night it's warm, but that barely makes up for anything.

 _This guy, he's really annoying. Do I really have to be his familiar?_ What other option does she have? In a world she knows nothing about, without anyone to rely to, Louis is really the only person she has, and that thought manages to make her sick to the stomach. _I shouldn't be so pessimistic; it's only been a few hours since I arrived here. Only time will tell how things will evolve. In any case, I wonder what my parents are doing. They're probably very worried now…_

She can only imagine their reactions when they notice their little girl is not coming back home, as the night draws on and on… _Ugh, don't think about that. There's nothing you can do. In any case, I need to solve this thing as soon as possible, that's the only thing I can do. Meanwhile, I can pretend I'm an exchange student or that I'm in some manga or something… that's better than just moping and getting worried, at least._ She sighs again, trying to make herself comfortable. In this situation she's completely helpless, but worrying will take her nowhere, and she needs all her energy so she can quickly find a way back to her world.

As she thinks of this, she feels a little better. She falls asleep, not having realized how tired she actually was, after all the stress she passed today.

* * *

 **A/N: This turned out longer than I expected it, but I'm quite happy with it. I'm using the present tense because I find it easier to write like this.**

 **Well, this is it for now. I'm not sure when I'll bring the second chapter. Let's hope soon. Any opinion or thought is well-received, just make sure to be polite.**


	3. Chapter 2: The Foundation of a Noble

**A/N: I really wasn't planning to update today, but I already had this finished so...**

 **I also want to say that I've been thinking of the course this story will take. For me, the changed interactions between Louis and Sachiko with the others and each other are the real core of this story, but these changes will also lead to slight changes in the course of things. Meaning, the main plot and points of the story will remain the same, but the actions leading up to that as well as the building of Louis and Sachiko's relationship will be different.**

 **Now for this chapter, like the last I think it's a little too much like the novel. The first novel it's just a long introduction to the series, in my opinion, so I think (hope) that from the second novel onwards we'll see more changes. They're just going to be gradual.**

 **I had something else I wanted to say but I can't remember it now. Oh well.**

* * *

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 2: The Foundation of a Noble**

 **...**

The morning sunlight wakes Sachiko up. She slowly opens her eyes and stares at the ceiling. She had a dream, but she doesn't remember what it was about. It's not the first time she has this dream though. She knows because every time she has it, she wakes up feeling a sense of nostalgia she can't quite put a name to.

Letting out a sigh like every time, she lifts herself up and looks around. At first she's scared, not recognizing the place she's in, but then the memories from last night come flooding her mind, and she sighs again, this time with resignation. She had hoped everything was nothing else but a dream, but it's the second time she wakes up to this odd reality.

 _It's not going to change, no matter how many times I go to sleep. I won't suddenly wake up at home. I am truly hopeless_. She stands up, and hears the sound of metal rattling. When she looks down, she recognizes the leash Louis put on her last night, and eyes it with hatred. _First off, he's going to take this off me_. She decidedly walks up to the bed, but when she sees him, once again she's left breathless.

The boy is clutching his pillow tightly, with his mouth a little open and soft snores coming out of it. The light of the morning makes his hair glow with a nice strawberry shade, and a night's sleep has left it artfully tousled. He looks even more childish this way, if possible.

She stares, and for a moment feels bad about having to wake him up. When she approaches though, she almost slips because of his shirt, the one he told her to wash, and any thought of letting him sleep peacefully flies out the window.

"Hey, wake up already!" she pulls the covers away. Louis frowns, confused.

"Eh? Huh?" he's very sleepy, his eyes just starting to get used to the sudden light.

"It's morning. Don't you have school or something?"

"You…" he looks at her, before his eyes snap open; "who are you?!"

 _He's kidding, right?_ "Your familiar, or have you forgotten?" she asks mockingly. He seems to be very sleepy, because he doesn't repair in her tone, still seemingly trying to remember her. He manages a few seconds later.

"Oh" he nods, and stretches, yawning; "true, I summoned you yesterday. Almost forgot."

" _Great_ " not a minute awake and he's already irking her. She closes her eyes and counts to ten.

"Well then, what are you waiting? Fetch me my clothes" he says in a commanding tone. Sachiko raises an eyebrow, but for once, decides not to protest. She walks to the wardrobe and looks in the drawers. She pulls out a pair of pants, socks, and a shirt, the same clothes she saw him wearing yesterday, and hands them to him. Louis doesn't take them though. "You have to dress me" he clarifies when they remain like that for a few seconds. Sachiko snorts.

"You can at the very least dress yourself, can't you?"

"Ok, no breakfast" he responds easily. Sachiko's mouth falls.

"Why?! I don't get why I should dress you!"

"A noble will never dress himself when there's a servant available. You're my familiar, do your job."

"Familiar or not, I'm still a girl. Will you really ask a girl to dress you?"

"Girl? Don't make me laugh. The only thing I see is my familiar. Now, do it quickly, or you can say goodbye to lunch too" he threatens in a low voice. Sachiko gulps. She's afraid and angry at the same time. She takes off his robe, trying not to think about how soft and warm his skin is when she accidentally brushes it with her fingers; and tries really hard to get her mind out of the gutter when she kneels in front of him so she can help him get in his pants. She retrieves a belt when he tells her to, and adjusts that too. When she's finished she feels like taking a cold shower.

Luckily Louis doesn't seem to notice. In fact, he looks even angrier. Sachiko doesn't understand; she did everything he told her to.

"Now pour some water so I can wash my face" he says. Sachiko frowns. In response, Louis points at a pitch on the table, and then at a basin placed next to it. "Pour the water" he moves the finger from the pitch to the basin; "and bring it here."

"Ah" _he should have said that from the beginning_. She does what he told her and brings the basin full of water in front of him. She holds it as he washes his face.

"Towel" he commands. His eyes are closed and small drops fall from his face to the neck of his shirt, getting it wet; "towel!" he repeats when she doesn't move. She quickly leaves the basin on the table and goes look for a towel. She finds one in the third drawer of the wardrobe and passes it to him. He practically yanks it away from her. "Why are you so inefficient? You should have the towel ready _before_ I wash my face!"

"How was I supposed to know that? I've never helped anyone wash their face before. Besides, it's your fault. You should have said something when you saw I didn't have one."

She shuts up when he glares at her. He has sharp eyes, which are perfect for intimidation, and doesn't hesitate in using them whenever he can.

"I thought I told you to respect me, _familiar_. For now, I'll let this pass because it's the first time you attend a noble, but next time there will be serious consequences if you fail like today" he stands up, throws the towel at the pile of clothes in a corner and walks towards his desk. From a drawer he pulls out a small mirror and a brush. He brushes his hair and once he's satisfied, he takes his black cloak hanging from the chair and passes it over his shoulders. He adjusts the laces, grabs his wand from the bedside table and leaves the room.

Sachiko stays behind, eyebrows raised. She can't go anywhere while she still has the leash on, and she wonders if Louis left her behind on purpose. It might be for the best; actually. She wants to be alone for a moment.

He comes back two minutes later. "Are you stupid? Why didn't you tell me to take the collar off you?!" he opens a drawer in his desk and retrieves a key. He stands in front of her as he opens the padlock that's in the center of the collar. "Gods, do you really want to stay in here all day?"

 _Maybe_ she doesn't say it, because he's too close and she can smell the scent of apples drifting from him. He tosses the collar once it's opened, and looks at her with crossed arms.

"Well? Aren't you going to thank me?" and with just that Sachiko feels annoyed again. It looks like this is how her life as Louis' familiar is going to be from now on.

* * *

Sachiko can't help but look at everything with big eyes. She was unconscious when Louis brought her inside the first time, and the second she was too consumed with anxiety to notice anything, but now that she can look at the castle calmly, she's marveled at everything she sees.

Hallways with arches and stairs made of stone. Double doors made of heavy and sturdy wood, carved with intricate and beautiful designs. A marble floor, with white and black tiles forming what looks like a chest board, so clean and shiny she could possibly eat on it. Outside the windows, she can see a garden, with green grass and a path of flowers of different colors, being bathed with the early morning sun.

"Come on! If you don't hurry I'm going to be late!" Louis complains for the tenth time since they left the bedroom. He grasps her wrist, forcefully dragging her down the hallway.

"Ah, I get it, I won't get distracted anymore!" Sachiko says, but Louis doesn't release her. She can feel how the blood fails to reach her hand, and tries to get free again, when another voice suddenly calls Louis.

"Mr. Vallière!" they turn at the same time. The middle-aged man from yesterday is approaching them, waving a hand with a big smile on his face. Louis stops, and gladly for Sachiko, releases her.

"What is it, Mr. Colbert?" he asks politely. _So he can be good when he wants too_ Sachiko thinks sourly, caressing her poor wrist.

"Oh, if you don't mind, I just wanted to take another look at your familiar's runes. Yesterday they caught my attention, and I'd been investigating" he takes Sachiko's hand and examines the runes for a few seconds, before nodding to himself and scribbling something in a little notebook he takes out from his pocket. "I find it interesting that a human has been summoned. Not only that, but the fact that it was summoned by you, who is known as the Zero, might indicated she's not just any human" he puts away the notebook and smiles at the two of them. "Then, I'll be off. If I find something, I'll tell you. Please look forward to it" he leaves, waving at them enthusiastically until he disappears around a corner.

Sachiko stares blankly at the place he disappeared to. "Well, he looks like a nice teacher…"

"Such a bother" Sachiko frowns, looking at Louis questioningly. He's not looking at her, but there's something in his expression that denotes weariness. "He doesn't need to investigate anything…"

"I think he's really kind though. Not anybody would do that kind of thing for his students."

Louis shrugs. He gestures forward with his head, and walks off, fortunately not yanking Sachiko with him. She quickly follows. He's silent now, not that it bothers Sachiko. It allows her to think, and suddenly she remembers something that has caught her attention since yesterday.

"By the way, what does the zero stands for? I heard many people calling you that. Is it your surname or something?"

Louis halts abruptly, and Sachiko becomes scared she might have awoken his anger. She did, but it doesn't seem directed at her, as he turns on his heels to face her, red spread across his cheeks, and yells; "no! That's not my surname! My name is Louis François LeBlanc de la Vallière! Zero is just a nickname… a-an offensive n-nickname…" he whispers at the end, his eyes falling to the floor. Sachiko is taken aback.

"If it's offensive, then why did the teacher use it?" Louis growls, but Sachiko remains calm, as it doesn't look like he's growling at her as much as at the situation.

"Because everybody calls me that."

"Why?" this has picked up her interest. Louis suddenly looks uncomfortable. He shifts a little, looking everywhere but at her. Then, he turns around and continues like nothing. Sachiko purses her lips. _He doesn't want to tell me. Well, we barely know each other, and anyway, I have the feeling I'm going to find out soon enough_. She lets out a sigh and follows him, leaving the doubt for later.

* * *

The number of people increases the more they walk. Sachiko can not only see other students like Louis, but people she assumes are servants. Maids and butlers of all ages: as young as the students and old enough to be their grandparents. They bow their heads to Louis when they see him, and he returns the bows with a small nod. Everyone they pass give them strange looks. They are curious and sometimes pitiful when they come from the servants, but full of derision when they come from the students.

Louis keeps walking with his head up, as if he cannot see or hear the small laughter behind his back. It does make Sachiko uncomfortable though, and she hurries so she can walk alongside Louis. He looks at her from the corner of his eye, but doesn't say anything. They soon arrive in front of a big door, from where Sachiko can hear many voices. They enter, and her jaw falls upon seeing the inside.

It's a dining hall, very big. There are three long tables arranged next to each other, exquisitely decorated with flowers, candles and delicious food. On the left side, she can see students wearing purple cloaks. They look a little older, and she deduces they're third years. On the right, students wear brown cloaks. They look younger, so they must be first years. And in the middle, a bunch of students, second years with black cloaks, are chatting amiably before the meal starts. At an upper level there's another table, which is surely the teachers', since there are only adults sitting on it.

Louis looks at Sachiko's expression. For some reason, he finds her amazement funny.

"Close your mouth, before you swallow a fly" he warns. Sachiko blushes, and she quickly does that.

"This is the place where you all eat? It's… kind of extravagant" she says as she looks at the decorations. There are little statues placed on sills on the ceiling, and big windows that go all the way from the floor almost reaching the roof, giving the place natural illumination.

"This is expected" he explains. Sachiko frowns and looks at him. "The Tristain Academy of Magic doesn't just teach magic, you know? The say: 'nobles achieve nobility through the use of magic' is the foundation in our education as nobles. Thus, our dining hall must be befitting of a noble."

"Is that so?"

"Count yourself lucky. Normally, a commoner like you would never be able to put a foot inside the Alvíss Dining Hall. You should be grateful."

"A-ha, and what about them?" she points at a group of servants, standing on the sides waiting for the breakfast to start.

"They're not going to eat in here, they're here to serve."

"So that means I'll eat here?" she asks enthusiastically. She's been eyeing a chicken, bathed in what appears to be honey, for a long while now. Louis frowns.

"I… guess" he looks around, searching for something. Sachiko deduces it must a friend, but she's wrong. "Here, that's our place."

He guides her to a specific part of the table. They stand there without doing anything until Louis clears his throat. Another few seconds pass and he loses his patience. "What are you waiting for? Pull out my chair."

"Ah" so that's why they aren't sitting. She does as he says, ignoring a demeaning comment he makes about her not being an efficient familiar, and pulls out another chair for herself. "I've never seen anything like this in my life. There's so much food in-ouch, ouch, ouch!" she closes one eye in pain. Louis has just pinched her ear, standing up and pulling her with him. "What are you doing?!" Louis points to the floor. Sachiko would roll her eyes if she weren't in pain right now. "I can't look if you keep trying to pull out my ear!"

He's the one rolling his eyes, as he releases her and crosses his arms. Sachiko strokes her ear, like she's been getting a habit of, since Louis is so keen in forcefully dragging her around, and looks down. She frowns, getting an idea of what this means but not wanting to believe it.

"It's a bowl" she says blankly.

"It is" he answers in the same tone.

"There's something suspicious in it…"

"You know" he sits again, folding his arms in front of him; "familiars can't enter the dining hall. You're only here because I especially requested it. In fact, you have food only because I asked the staff to spare some leftovers for you."

And thus, Sachiko finds herself sitting on the floor, a bowl of what appears to be soup with some scraps of meat floating in it and stale bread.

"Oh, Great Founder Brimir, and our lady, the Queen; we thank you for this humble meal that you have graciously provided us this morning" a prayer is heard throughout the dining hall. Louis lowers his head, joining in too.

 _I knew they were religious freaks, I just knew it…_ Sachiko is very irritated. She looks at her bowl with hatred. _And what's this about 'thank you for this humble meal'? What part of that banquet can be considered 'humble'? If someone is having a humble meal here, that's me! For crying out loud, even dogs eat better than this!_

Something is deposited in her bowl. Sachiko looks closer. It's chicken skin. She looks up to Louis.

"Your snotty face is ruining my appetite" he says simply, cutting a piece of chicken. Sachiko blinks.

"And the meat?"

"Oh no, don't think you'll be obtaining more than that. I won't help start a habit."

 _Say what?!_ He's got to be kidding. She glares at him for a few more seconds, but he's imperturbable. So he really is only going to give her skin. _Ugh, this guy, better if he didn't do anything! Is he trying to make fun of me?_ She ignores the skin, and grabs the bread. "I'm starting to think even a rock would be more edible than this. Oh well, at least I've got something to entertain myself with" she says as she hits the bread against the bowl. Maybe if she makes enough noise, he'll finally give in and give her something real to eat.

* * *

He doesn't. As they walk in the direction of the classroom, Louis is complaining about her behavior.

"Some familiar I have, instead of being grateful because of letting her enter the dining hall and even spare her some food, she just refuses to eat and keeps complaining all the way to class!"

"Oh yeah, thank you so much for the scraps of meat floating in water and a rock… sorry, I mean a _bread_ for breakfast!"

"I gave you chicken too!"

"No, you gave me skin. I don't need you to throw me some bone out of annoyance. I'm not a dog, you know?"

"Obviously, a dog would probably do better" he growls as he opens the door. Sachiko's ready to counterattack, but she's interrupted by the sound of laughter. She looks at Louis' classmates. They're making fun of him. His face is getting red and she decides to let out just for now.

The classroom is like one of those university lecture halls. The teacher stands at the lowest level and the seats are arranged upwards like stairs. Sachiko doesn't repair much in that though, her attention quickly being caught by all the strange creatures in the classroom. They must be the other students' familiars.

"Is that a basilisk? Hey, look at that floating eyeball! What's it called master? Oh! And that octopus like thing? Wow! A gigantic snake out the window! I've never seen one that size!" she exclaims happily, her head turning in all directions, drinking in every strange creature she sees. There are of course normal familiars like cats, owls and ravens, but they're not half as interesting as the monsters of legend she can see.

She's so enraptured in this she doesn't realize Louis is less than thrill with her. They ascend the stairs, stopping at the highest level. Louis sits down and Sachiko pulls out a chair for her too. But the moment she is about to sit, Louis removes the chair from under her and her butt ends up on the floor.

"Ouch! Hey, what's your problem?" she asks, one eye closed in pain.

Louis gives her a haughty look. His face is red, and his eyes shine with anger, but he still sounds pretty calm when he says; "these seats are reserved for mages. Familiars are not allowed to use them."

Sachiko frowns. "Then how am I supposed to see the class from here?" she leans on the chair again, but the moment she tries to sit on it, Louis pulls it away, and Sachiko ends up on the floor again. "Stop that!"

"No, you're going to stay there, like a good familiar should. It looks like I'm being too soft on you" he explains, his tone becoming less calm as he speaks; "And since you didn't seem to enjoy your meal this morning, let me make you a favor and release you from the next one too. Probably two lose meals will finally make you appreciate what is being given to you!" he shouts the last part, attracting his classmates' attention. He doesn't seem to mind though, and looks back to the front with a triumphant smirk.

Sachiko is left speechless. After a few seconds, she snorts and crosses her arms, getting comfortable on the floor. The next second the door is opened. She crawls to see a chubby woman covered by a purple cloak.

"Is that lady a mage too?"

"Who gave you permission to look?" Sachiko rolls her eyes.

"I'm not bothering you, am I?"

Louis is opening his mouth to respond, probably with something haughty, but the woman speaks before he can.

"Good morning, students. My name is Yvette Chevreuse. This is my first year teaching in the Tristain Academy of Magic, so many of you may not know me. Today your usual teacher is busy with something, so, even though I'm assigned to the first years, I'm going to give you classes today" she looks around after this quick presentation, and a satisfied smile paints her features. "I can see all of you have summoned your familiars yesterday. It's really satisfying to see you have all succeeded in the Springtime Familiar Summoning."

Louis lowers his eyes, embarrassed. This action catches Chevreuse's attention.

"Ah, you are… Mr. Vallière isn't it?" she asks with a little smile. Louis nods shyly. "Where is your familiar, if I may ask?"

He visibly gulps. The rest of the class explodes in laughter again.

"Yes Louis! Where is that commoner you make appeared yesterday?"

"What are you talking about? He just grabbed some random commoner off the street!"

"As if he could ever summon anything!"

Louis is trembling. There's a dark aura surrounding him. Chevreuse purses her lips. She waves her wand, and in the next second all of those who made fun of Louis find their mouths full of clay.

"It's not good to go making fun of your classmates. Now, as punishment, you shall remain like that for the rest of the class" she looks at Louis. "So you have summoned a familiar. Where is it?"

Sachiko is still astounded after seeing that trick of magic, but she blinks upon hearing this, and without thinking springs to her feet. "I'm here!" she exclaims enthusiastically. Louis is already sending her murderous looks, but she doesn't really care. Mrs. Chevreuse stares at her with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, so you really are a commoner. That's… unusual" the comment is fairly innocent, but manages to stir up some other students. She raises her wand again, and they become silent at once. "What are you doing on the floor? Take a seat. There's a chair next to your master."

Sachiko can hear Louis choking, and she feels a strange sense of superiority when she explains; "I can't, seats are reserved for mages, aren't they?"

"Nonsense, familiar or not, you're still a girl, it won't do for you to sit on the floor" and with that, Sachiko proudly takes a seat next to Louis, who is glancing down, trembling with anger. "Now then, let's begin the lesson" she waves her wand, this time in the direction of the desk, and a few pebbles materialize. Sachiko opens her mouth in awe. Louis kicks her chair. "Before beginning, let's try and remember a few basic things. Who can tell me the four elements of magic?"

A young girl raises her hand. She has blond, long curly hair, and a red ribbon placed on top of her head. Sachiko can't see her face from where she's sitting.

"Yes, Miss…?"

"Montmorency, my name is Montmorency Margarita La Fère de Montmorency" _Her first name is the same as her last? No, actually, do all nobles have such excessively long names? But that teacher said her name is only Yvette Chevreuse. There's something weird going on here…_

"Then, Miss Montmorency, please continue."

"Yes. There are four elements: fire, earth, wind and water. And there's also the lost fifth element of void. Combined, they make the five elements that make up the Pentagram of Nobility."

"Thank you, Miss Montmorency" the girl flips her hair, as if she has done some incredible feat. Sachiko can see a few classmates rolling their eyes. "Well then, in the first place, you have to know my runic name is Chevreuse the Red Clay, thus my element is earth. Out of the five elements; I believe earth holds an extremely important position, and this is not only because my affinity is earth, nor is it a personal preference."

She coughs in her hand. Sachiko thinks she would be less conspicuous is she didn't do that.

"The magic of earth it's a very important magic that governs the creation of all matter. If it wasn't for earth magic, we wouldn't be able to produce or process necessary metals. Constructing buildings and harvesting crops would also involve much more work. In this manner, the magic of the earth element is intimately related to everyone's life."

 _I see, so magic here works like science does in my world. No wonder Louis is so proud of being a mage;_ Sachiko thinks as she rests her chin on her arms. _I wonder why they don't use their magic to set up electricity. They live as if they're in the Middle Ages, even though they can use magic… or is it exactly because of that?_

"Now, everyone, please recall that the basic magic of the earth element is 'transmutation'. While there will be people here who have already learned this in their first year, basics build foundations, so let's review it once more" she turns to the pebbles and starts reciting a spell. With a wave of her wand, the pebbles start to glow brightly. After the light dims away, the pebbles have transformed into sparkling lumps of metal.

Sachiko smiles brightly. A day before she never would have guessed she could see this kind of thing in real life. She is not the only one excited.

"Is that g-g-gold, Mrs. Chevreuse?" a girl stands up, leaning on her desk with her mouth open in amazement. Sachiko looks at her, surprised. Unlike with the other girl, this one is in a position where she can see her face. She has fiery red hair, golden eyes that seem to gleam and a pair of full, enticing red lips. Her skin is tanned, giving her a healthy and natural air of beauty. From all the girls she has seen, this is definitely the most beautiful. Then she looks down, and frowns. _What are those two things hanging there?_ She thinks with envy at seeing her voluminous breasts.

"No, it isn't. It's plain brass" Mrs. Chevreuse says with an easy laugh. "Only square-class mages can transmute to gold, using a lot of willpower, I may add. I'm just…" she coughs in her hand again; "a triangle-class."

"Oh…" the girl's disappointed, sitting down again.

Sachiko pokes Louis' side, "hey…"

"Don't bother me; we're in the middle of a lesson."

"I'm wondering" she ignores him, and he growls; "what's that about squares and triangles?"

"It's the number of elements a mage can add to a spell, which also determines that mage's level" Sachiko stares at him blankly, and he sighs; "let's put an example: if a mage can use an earth spell on its own, he's a dot. If he can add fire to the spell, then that makes him a line. If he can add another element, let's say earth-earth-fire; then he's a triangle. The maximum elements a mage can add are four, because there are only four elements."

"I see. What happens when you add an element to itself?"

"It reinforces that element and makes it stronger."

"Huh…" she looks at Chevreuse; "then, you can say that lady is a fairly powerful mage, since she can add three elements together?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Then that means she's boasting."

"Certainly."

"How many elements can you add?" Louis doesn't answer. Sachiko frowns. _Well, considering everyone's been making fun of him until now, I bet he's just a dot mage. So disappointing, if I was summoned by a mage, it would be more exciting if he was powerful_. She lets out a sigh.

The teacher catches them talking. "Mr. Vallière, please refrain from chatting in class."

"A-Ah, yes, I'm sorry…"

"Since you have the time to chatter, perhaps I should have you demonstrate for me?"

"H-huh?!"

"Please try changing these pebbles here into a metal of your choice."

Louis doesn't move. He looks incredibly uncomfortable. Sachiko pokes him. "She's talking to you, you know" she's actually pretty curious to see him chanting something. She has not seen him performing any magic, she realizes. Louis still doesn't move.

"What's wrong? Is something the matter, Mr. Vallière?"

He's not the one to answer. The beautiful girl with the red hair does. "I don't think that's a good idea, Mrs. Chevreuse."

"Why is that?"

"It's dangerous" the rest of their classmates nod in agreement. This has picked Sachiko's curiosity.

"How so?"

"Haven't you heard about Louis at all?"

"I have. Other teachers have told me he's a hard-worker. Now, Mr. Vallière, don't you worry, just try it. You won't be able to do anything if you dread making mistakes."

"No, don't do it!" the class shouts in unison. Mrs. Chevreuse raises her wand, filling the first row of students' mouth with more clay.

"Mr. Vallière?"

Louis remains silent for another second. He finally stands up. "I'll do it."

He walks down the aisle. Sachiko can see some of his classmates hiding under the desks, and can't help but frown. _Now, is it so bad, really?_

"First, you have to visualize vividly the metal that you wish to transmute them into" Chevreuse explains. Louis nods softly, taking out his wand. Sachiko is captured. He has a serious expression, as he points the wand to the pebbles. His lips move, and he looks so elegant and refined she can't quite believe he's real. _Really, even that guy from yesterday, Guiche, can't compare to him. I wonder why he is not more popular. If he was in my school, he would have girls chasing him all the time. Well, he has a horrible personality, so that might be it, but even like that, can't no one see he's the most gorgeous guy in this entire room?_

She feels someone touching her shoulder. She turns around. The beautiful red-haired girl is standing next to her.

"We are far from him, but we should still hide under the desk. Last time, even the windows were broken" Sachiko frowns, not understanding. "You'll see soon enough" she pulls at her elbow until they're under the desk. "By the way, my name is Kirche."

"I am…" but before she can introduce herself, an amazing explosion is heard behind them. People scream, frightened familiars add to the chaos. The class is in complete pandemonium.

And in the center of it all, there are Louis and Mrs. Chevreuse. The teacher is unconscious, her body twitching sporadically. On the other hand, Louis is so calm it's almost frightening. He stands up, his uniform is torn and he's covered in soot. He takes out a handkerchief and begins to wipe at his face.

"It looks like I made a little mistake."

At this, the class, that was still in shock; explodes.

"That wasn't a little mistake! This is what always happens!"

"You can't manage a single spell, Louis the Zero!"

"Your success rate is always zero!"

Sachiko's eyes open wide. Kirche shakes her head. "Now you know why we must hide. That guy wouldn't be able to make a single spell work, even if his life depended on it."

She looks at her with a blank expression. Then, slowly, she begins to laugh, until she's full out cackling. The students turn to look at her as if she's crazy, until she speaks. "So this is why you didn't want to tell me! Because you're a failure as a mage! Even though you're always 'noble this' and 'noble that', but you can't manage a single spell… what is this?"

She continues laughing. The other students look at each other, before getting out a few laughs. Soon though, they're laughing with as much enthusiasm as Sachiko, mostly at the irony of a familiar making fun of her master.

Louis trembles, just wishing to raise his wand and make them all shut up for good.

* * *

 **A/N: I actually wanted to get further, but then I realized it was too long and had to cut it here. For now it seems we're following the novels chapters order. About Chevreuse. I'm not sure if that's her first name or surname, but here I take it as her surname. I also made her a new first year teacher, because I just can't understand how she didn't know about Louise's fame at all. And regarding what Louis said about only being able to reach square-class because there are only four elements: I don't know if that's canon or not, but I'm using it anyway.**

 **You know what's going to happen in the next chapter, but you don't know _how_ or _why_.**


	4. Chapter 3: One Small Bottle

**A/N: I'm really sorry for Louis in this one, except I'm not.**

* * *

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 3: One Small Bottle**

 **...**

As punishment for destroying the classroom, Louis was made to clean it up from top to bottom. He couldn't use magic for cleaning, but considering he couldn't do much spells, this didn't really affect him. Mrs. Chevreuse was taken to the infirmary to rest. Fortunately she woke up a few hours later, but she didn't give any more classes for the rest of the day.

Sachiko is completely exhausted. While the punishment was meant for Louis, in the end the only one to clean was her. Louis just sat down in a chair, reading a book. Sachiko tried everything she could to make him help her. She refused cleaning, sitting too until he made his part of the work, but then he told her:

"The more time you take, the more we're going to stay here. We'll miss lunch at this pace."

"You'll miss it too if you don't help me" she had said back. He snorted.

"But I ate breakfast already, so I can stand without eating for a little longer. You, on the other hand, have not eaten since yesterday, have you?" and as if to confirm his point, Sachiko's stomach had growled with intensity, bringing a blush to her cheeks from both embarrassment and anger.

Cleaning had been an arduous, unsavory thing. She had to rearrange the desks and chairs, scrub them with a wet cloth to wash off the soot from them, clean up the blackboard, floor and walls, and carry a new glass for a window that ended up shattering with the explosion.

She's used to helping around the house with her mother, but this has been too much. She barely finished by lunch, and as they walk in the direction of the dining hall, Sachiko feels her anger towards Louis increase more and more.

 _I don't get it, why didn't he help? Is he that spoiled? It didn't sound like it was the first time he was given this punishment, so he should know how to grab a broom at the very least._ She grits her teeth, words coming out of her mouth without her realizing it.

"Finally, this is over. Thanks for nothing, _master_. Well, it's not like I can expect much from you. After all, you're a noble… oh, but then, you can't cast any spell so doesn't that mean you're actually a fake? Really, it seems you can't even clean a classroom by yourself. In the end even I, a 'commoner', can do more than you."

"Shut it" his voice is low. Sachiko can't see his expression, covered by his bangs, but she can see his shoulders shaking and his closed fists. She snorts.

"Don't tell me you're getting offended. How pathetic. Expecting me to do all the work, making fun of me because I'm a commoner, when it turns out you're not very far from being one yourself. One would think that this situation would make you more humble, but in the end you're just a smug loser, pretending to be something you're not."

Sachiko is no longer conscious of her words; she's just letting out the frustration she has accumulated since yesterday. They're already in front of the dining hall, students sat and eating. At most they're halfway through the meal. Louis stops suddenly, grabs her collar and pushes her against the wall, outside of the field of vision of the students.

His expression makes Sachiko's blood run cold. He looks out of his mind, his teeth bared, his eyes narrowed with a dangerous glow. He raises a fist and she closes her eyes, waiting for the hit. But it doesn't come. She opens her eyes, and sees him trembling, as if he's holding himself back.

"Don't push it" his voice is shaking almost as much as him. He sounds angry and hurt at the same time, and Sachiko feels something tugging at her heart other than fear. "Don't think just because you're a woman you're exempt from physical punishment. First of all, you're my familiar, which means I can discipline you however I see fit, and no one will raise a finger to help you. So, next time you say something like that? I won't respond for my actions."

He releases her. Sachiko is trembling. She can't discern if he's being serious or just trying to make her scared. In any case, it's working, and she can do nothing else but nod, tears accumulating in her eyes. Louis steps back. He doesn't look at her as he walks inside the dining hall.

"Oh, one more thing; for the next two days, you're forbidden from eating."

She nods, even though he's already inside. Suddenly, she feels as if all the strength she had in her is gone.

* * *

Sachiko is sitting in the hallway. Her knees are pulled up to her chest. She's hugging them, her face buried between them.

 _I wonder if I went too far. I was angry, true, but to say all those things to him…_ she sighs, raising her head and drying a few treacherous tears from her cheeks. _But I've never seen him like that. If… if he really does something to me… what can I do? I am trapped with him. I… I'm scared…_

Her stomach growls again. She covers her abdomen with her hands, feeling like she's about to faint. The last time she ate was at lunch the day before. She has never gone so much time without food. And now she's going to be two more days like this. _Should I apologize to him? I don't want to, but if I continue like this, then…_

"Um, excuse me miss, but… are you alright?"

Sachiko whips her head up. There's a boy… a _man_ standing next to her. He's leaning towards her, his hands resting on his knees as he looks at her with the deepest, most beautiful pair of blue eyes she has ever seen. His hair is black, his factions sculptured and perfect. She can see the shade of stubble along his chin and cheekbones, which only accentuates his masculinity.

He's absolutely gorgeous. Sachiko thinks he can even rival Louis in looks and win. The man clears his throat, probably uncomfortable that she's staring at him so firmly, and Sachiko wakes up. She blushes, shakes her head and glances down, as she doesn't think she can form a coherent sentence while looking at him.

"I-I am…" her stomach growls again, betraying her. She can feel her face burning.

The man chuckles, extending his hand to her; "It looks you're hungry. If you don't mind, please accompany me."

Sachiko looks at his hand unsurely. She doesn't know if she should trust this stranger. Her eyes look him up and down. He's not wearing the academy's uniform, which is not a surprise, as he looks too mature to be a student, but he's not wearing a robe like the teachers, which makes sense again because he looks too young for the profession. He's instead wearing a butler's attire, complete with white gloves and a long-tailed coat.

 _He must be a servant._ She thinks of the irony that a person of the staff is much more handsome than any of the noble boys studying here, as she eyes his wide shoulders and lean chest.

The man notices she's looking at him with suspicion, so he straightens. "I won't hurt you, if that's your concern. I just wanted to guide you to the kitchens so I can give you something to eat. But you're right of being suspicious. I have not even introduced myself. My name is Shiro."

He smiles. Sachiko feels herself melting at that smile. She extends her left hand, wanting to make up for her behavior earlier. "My name is Hiraga Sachiko, but only Sachiko is fine…"

He helps her up, before looking at her hand with surprise. "Oh, so you're the commoner that was summoned yesterday. You're quite the center of the rumors around here" he says jokingly.

Sachiko bites her lips and follows him. "Is that good or bad?"

"Oh, you don't have to worry. Most just comment on how unfortunate it must be to have been summoned by one of these noble brats. You must know that whatever you need, we from the staff will gladly help you. After all, it's quite an unfortunate situation you have fallen into."

Sachiko sighs, remembering Louis' face when he pushed her against the wall before. _Tell me about it…_

* * *

Sachiko is led to the kitchen, located at the rear of the dining hall. Inside there's a lot of people, cooks, maids and other butlers stirring up pots, cutting vegetables and meat or serving food in dishes, placing them on trays. Many of them turn to look at her when they enter. Shiro announces loudly that she is the commoner who was summoned as a familiar, and they smiled at her, giving her encouraging words. This doesn't make her feel better though. She thinks that if they're all trying to comfort her then her situation must be worse than she thought it was.

She notices many girls looking at Shiro longingly, and she thinks she even sees a boy doing the same. Then again, it doesn't surprise her. He really is a sight for sore eyes.

"Wait here, ok?" Shiro tells her, pointing at a small table with two chairs. She does so timidly. Shiro talks with one of the cooks, who gives him a bowl with steaming soup. She can hear her stomach growl again at the mere sight, more so when Shiro grabs a piece of bread and walks up to her. He places the bowl in front of her. "It's only the leftovers from the nobles, but it's what we eat while we're cooking. You know, in case we're hungry during work."

"T-Thank you" she says sincerely, taking the spoon and plunging it in the soup. It's creamy and nice, and when she eats her eyes open wide. She doesn't know if it is because it's the first thing she's eating since arriving in this world, but she can truthfully say this soup is the most delicious thing she has tasted in her entire life. "Ah, this is so good!" she lifts the bowl and starts to swallow the food. Shiro chuckles and sits on the chair in front of her.

"I'm glad you like it" in no time the soup is over. Sachiko puts down the bowl. "Would you like more?" he asks, extending a hand. Sachiko bites her lips.

"Won't it be too bothersome?"

"Don't worry about it. Do you want more?" she nods and he takes her bowl; soon after he's back with more soup. This time, Sachiko takes her time while eating. "So, why are you so hungry? Could it be you were given nothing to eat?" Shiro asks with concern. Sachiko sighs, munching on the bread.

"Yes. That guy, Louis, he won't let me eat. I think I made him angry…"

"Oh?"

"No, I surely made him angry. It's just; he's been so mean to me all this time. So when I learned the reason he was called a zero, I said some hurtful things."

"You made fun of him?" Sachiko nods; "you should be careful. He's infamous for having a short temper. I think last year he was suspended for two weeks for blowing up a group of boys that were taunting him during a lesson."

"H-He did that?"

"Yes, luckily the boys were only left with some scratches, nothing serious. I feel pity for him though. It must not be easy to be teased all the time for something he cannot control."

"Even like that, shouldn't he try to be nicer?" she asks sourly. She understands it must be tough to be received with derision every day of his life, as she remembers the laughs and whispers behind his back this morning, but that doesn't justify his attitude towards her. It's not her fault everyone makes fun of him. _Really, if I were to treat people badly for every time someone has called me an airhead, then there wouldn't be an end to it…_

"I don't know him personally, so I can't say if this is the case or not, but I sincerely think you shouldn't worry too much. From all the nobles here, he can actually be considered one of the most rational. He's the only one who looks at us in the eyes when he asks us to do something, and he greets everyone when he comes across us in the hallway. I doubt he would do something mean to someone who has not earn it, so maybe you two can have a good relationship."

He smiles. Sachiko tries her best to smile back. Now that Shiro has mentioned it, it is true Louis greeted all the servants who bowed to him that morning. If he's right about that, she hopes he's right about Louis being rational. She doesn't think she can stand constantly living in fear of awaking his anger. _Maybe we can get along. We just… need more patience_. And that included her as well. She's not reluctant in taking the first step if needed.

For her mental health, more than anything.

"Are you done?" Shiro asks. Sachiko looks down at her bowl, and with surprise realizes it's empty.

"Yes. Thank you again. I was really hungry" she hands him the bowl. He shakes his head.

"Don't mention it. Like I said, we'll help you in whatever you need. If you feel hungry, feel free to come around here again. As long as you don't mind eating the same as us, we'll always have a plate of food for you."

Such a kind offer; Sachiko is touched.

"Thanks…" she whispers, before breaking out in tears. This surprises Shiro.

"Miss Sachiko, are you alright?"

"Yes, yes, it's just… this is the first time someone has been nice to me since I arrived here. I became a bit emotional."

"You're exaggerating."

"Well, maybe…" she says, thinking back on that teacher, Mr. Colbert, who smiled at her, and Kirche, who told her to hide under the desk. "If there's anything I can do for you, please tell me. I'll lend you a hand."

"That is not necessary."

"I insist!"

"Ok" he's smiling, finding her determined expression kind of cute. "Then, I have to serve dessert now. If you don't mind helping me…"

"Of course" she stands up and follows him outside. She thinks about their conversation, and decides she's going to apologize to Louis as soon as she sees him. She'll demand an apology from him too. That way, she will show him they can get along if they both put an effort.

* * *

Sachiko pushes a cart, full of cakes, cookies and tarts. She follows Shiro who has a pair of thongs, and individually asks every single noble what they want to eat, before placing the dessert on their plates. Shiro was right; none of the kids look at him in the eyes, and even less thank him. A few girls blush when he walks past them, but apart from muttered thanks from their part, no one acknowledges his presence. This makes Sachiko angry.

She sees Louis sitting on the other end, giving her a murderous glare, but luckily for her, another person is serving dessert in that part of the table. She knows he's going to ask her what she was doing helping out one of the servants, and it's like that she ruefully realizes he's going to know she was given food. She hopes apologizing will save her the reprimanding.

In one of the tables she helps Shiro serve, there's a familiar face she really didn't want to see again.

"So Guiche, who are you going out with now?" a group of boys are around Guiche, drilling him with some intimate questions that are being asked too loud for comfort.

Guiche softly raises a finger to his lips. "Go out? I hold no woman in such special regard. After all, a rose blooms for the pleasure of many."

 _Is he really likening himself to a rose? This is so embarrassing…_ she feels herself blushing just listening to their conversation and how Guiche is glorifying himself. _Looking at him more carefully, he acts like a playboy. Who knows how many more girls he has apart from the one from yesterday._ She wonders how in the world she could have thought he was a nice guy.

She shakes her head, ignoring him. To be fair, it's not her business whether he's seeing other girls or not, but she can't help but feel her blood boiling at the thought. Her mother says men who cheat on their girlfriends or wives are the worst. She thinks the same.

They continue talking for another few minutes. By then, Shiro and Sachiko are almost finished with their section of the table. Once the last dessert is gone, Shiro turns to look at her with a smile.

"Well, this is all for today, fortunately. Thank you for your help."

"Oh, it was nothing, but I feel like I didn't really do anything…" she scratches her cheek, embarrassed. Truthfully, the only thing she did was push a cart following Shiro. He's the one who did all the work.

He shakes his head. "You might think like that, but it's more comfortable when I don't have to push the cart and serve at the same time. You made my work easier."

Sachiko gives him a shy smile at that. "Then, is there something else I can do to help?"

"If you want, you can help clean up the table, but we'll have to wait until the students finish their meal."

"Alright, no problem, I'll wait" in that moment, she turns her head at the exact second Guiche and his group get up and begin to leave the dining hall. She sees something falling out of Guiche's pocket, but she's too far to call out to him. He leaves, and she slowly walks back, picking up what looks like a small battle, full of some purple liquid.

"What is that thing?" Shiro asks, approaching her. Sachiko shrugs.

"That guy, Guiche, I think it's his name, let this fall from his pocket."

"Mr. Gramont?" Sachiko looks at him.

"Is Gramont his last name?"

"Yes, I think it was… Guiche Armand Roquelaure de Gramont… he's quite a known figure around the academy, because of his family."

"What is it with nobles and their names?" she asks to herself in a whisper, before sighing.

"You should give it back to him" Sachiko makes a face. The idea of talking with that playboy doesn't sit well with her; "or do you want me to give it back for you?" he's already reaching for the bottle, but Sachiko quickly retreats her hand and shakes her head.

"It's not necessary! You're already giving me food, so I couldn't ask you to do anything else for me."

"It's not a problem, if you want me to…"

"It's ok. I'll do it myself, but thank you for offering. I'll see you later" she smiles, bows, and with that sets off to find him. He didn't leave the dining hall too long ago, so he shouldn't be far. At least that's what she thinks. After ten minutes walking in circles because she doesn't know the academy, she finally gives up.

 _Really, why give myself so much trouble because of someone like him? He lost this bottle, so now it's mine_. She looks at it, stirring the liquid inside it with a soft movement. She wonders what this thing could be. Just then, she sees another familiar face, but this time she's happy to see her.

It's Katie. She's surrounded by a group of girls, chatting enthusiastically about something she cannot hear. She smiles, and approaches her with quick steps before she can lose her.

"Excuse me, miss" she calls out. She was going to use her name, but thought better of it. After all, they didn't know each other, and Katie never told her name officially to Sachiko.

The group of girls turns around. Only Katie recognizes her. "Oh, you're the familiar from yesterday" she says, eliciting a few comments from her friends. Shocked comments, more than anything. Still, they make Sachiko uncomfortable. She ignores them as she stops in front of Katie.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm looking for Mr. Gramont" polite, she has to be polite. That's what her mother always tells her. Katie tilts her head to the side.

"Why are you looking for him?"

"He let this fall from his pocket and I wanted to give it back to him" she shows her the small bottle. At this, for some reason, Katie and her friends gasp.

"Did this really fell from his pocket?" Katie asks. Sachiko doesn't get her tone. She sounds shocked and angry. She wonders why.

"Yes, it did."

"Are you completely sure?" she asks with vehemence. Sachiko frowns, giving a step back when the girl leans closer. She nods.

"Yes, I saw it. He was leaving the dining hall when it fell. I wanted to catch him but I lost him before I could" she explains; "after all, I still don't know the academy all that well."

"I see…" Katie's face is gloomy, as if a dark cloud has suddenly installed over her head. Sachiko opens her mouth to ask if there's anything wrong, but Katie takes the bottle from her hand and turns before she can. "I'll give it to him; you don't have to worry about it."

She leaves, her friends following close and whispering. Sachiko stays behind, watching them go with raised eyebrows.

"You're welcome" she says, before sighing and turning around. Well, it seems is time for her to go talk to Louis.

* * *

Sachiko tries to go back to the dining hall, but is unable to find the way back. She doesn't remember which path she took, and every arch and window look exactly the same as the last, so she doesn't have any reference to look for. She has the feeling she's simply walking in circles.

 _Maybe I should stay in a single place. If I keep walking around I might get even more lost._ She didn't leave the building, so Louis must be around here. If she stays here, he should find her in no time. _Or I could ask someone for directions_ ; but that's not a possibility. There's no one in this hallway, and now that she thinks about it, she has not seen anyone for some time now. _Did they come back to classes? In that case, Louis must be gone too. Ugh, I really wanted to talk to him now…_

She crosses her arms and tilts her head up, thinking in what she should do, when she hears someone calling her.

"There you are!" fortunately, it's Louis. He approaches her with quick steps, his fists balled and his brow furrowed in a deep frown. Sachiko barely has time to wonder why is he not in class before raising her hands, attempting to calm him down.

"Before you start yelling at me, I want to say something very important to you. Can you hear me out first and then do whatever you want to do with me?" she asks in a conciliatory tone, her hands still up hoping just this time Louis will listen to her. He glares at her, stopping just a few steps away, and crosses his arms. He doesn't say anything for a while, but finally, after what feels like hours, he speaks up.

"This better be fast. If it is something stupid, consider yourself dead" Sachiko gulps. She has to remind herself it's just a phrase, and he's not really going to kill her. It's hard.

She bows down, her hands joined in front of her. "I want to apologize for what I said before lunch. I was angry and didn't know what I was saying. You are not pathetic or a loser, I shouldn't have said that. I won't make fun of you again."

She continues with her head down for another moment, until she hears him sigh. Only then she looks at him. His eyes are closed, and he's pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers. She patiently waits.

Finally, he puts down his hand and opens his eyes. He looks at her in a way she can determine. "So that's how it is…" Sachiko tilts her head. Louis shakes his head. "Nothing, just talking to myself" he clears his throat. "Well then, I guess I can forgive you, since you took the initiative to apologize."

Sachiko smiles; "you aren't angry anymore?"

"I'm still considering it" he says, drumming his fingers on his arms, and bites his lips; "but for now, this is enough…"

"So I can eat now?"

"So this is what you really wanted" his eyes narrow, but compared to other times, he doesn't look as if he's going to attack her, so Sachiko remains calm. "Don't think I didn't see you at lunch. Going to the servants to beg for food, really…"

"I couldn't keep without eating. I was going to starve to death!"

"Don't exaggerate."

"The food you give me is too miserable" she comments, careful not to spark his anger. Shiro told her Louis was rational, so if she speaks rationally to him, it should work some results.

Louis raises an eyebrow. "I can't let a familiar get used to luxuries. It makes for bad habits."

"I'm not asking you to let me eat at the table with you, just… something less meager?"

"Mm…" he's considering it, even if he's still frowning. Sachiko crosses her fingers behind her back. Finally, he sighs. "Fine, you can eat with the servants then."

"Yes!" she raises her arms and jumps in celebration. Louis rolls his eyes.

"Don't get too excited! I have two conditions!" Sachiko stops jumping and looks at him with a frown. She's about to say something, but thinks better of it and decides to close her mouth and just nod. "You'll accompany me during my meals. You'll stand behind me and only leave when I'm finished" she nods, even though she doesn't understand why she has to do that. Anything for the sake of better food. "If you misbehave or cause any trouble, you'll be forbidden from eating with the servants. I'll make sure myself that you don't get any food if that's the case" she purses her lips, but nods anyway. If what Shiro said is true, even if Louis talks to the servants, she'll still receive food, so she doesn't really lose.

"Is that all?"

"That I can think of for now."

"Great, now about my bed…"

"Do you still have more to say?"

"Of course!" she actually obtained something good, so why don't push it a little more? Louis sighs, but with a gesture of the hand urges her to talk. "It's about where I sleep. Just one blanket is a little…"

"Alright, I'll see to give you a mattress as well" he says before she can talk. She gasps.

"Really? You will?"

"Yes, I wasn't really going to make you sleep on the floor. It's just that yesterday was a little tiring, so I couldn't find anything for you" and deep down even he thought making her sleep on the floor was a little too much. He is her master after all, so he might as well behave like a good one. "Is there anything else you want?"

"Well…" she seemingly thinks for a moment, a finger on her lips; "maybe that about cleaning and washing your clothes…"

"That is not up to discussion. If I have to feed you and give you a place to stay, then you should at least work for it."

"Ok…" she sighs. That's actually something she can understand. "But do I really have to dress you and help you wash your face? Can't you do that on your own?"

"Since you're here I might as well make the most of you. Don't complain about your work."

"Fine…" she rolls her eyes. Well, it didn't go so badly. Now she has decent food and a bed of sorts. Is much more than what she expected to obtain.

Louis clears his throat, making her look at him. He's facing the other way, not making eye contact with her, his arms crossed. "A-Also, for what happened at lunch…" is it her imagination or is he blushing a little? "I-I guess I was a bit excessive… I s-s-shouldn't have d-d-done that…"

Sachiko blinks. Is he referring to…? "What are you talking about?"

He groans, closes his eyes and passes a hand through his hair. "I was angry alright! So sorry for pushing you and scaring you!" he yells, turning around. "Geez, let's do something productive now! I'll show you around the academy ok?" he walks off.

Sachiko can only look at him with big eyes. Really, she wanted him to apologize for his behavior with her, but to think he did it on his own, without her prompting… she smiles, running to catch up to him. "Are you sure you can show me around? Don't you have classes now?"

"We have an hour and a half before the next lesson. Besides, I don't have anything else to do" he explains simply. He refuses to look at her. His cheeks are still red. Sachiko nods and follows him. She feels a little lighter than before.

* * *

Louis shows her many parts of the academy. He starts with the main tower. In it, there is the dining hall, the library, where commoners are not allowed entrance except for cleaning, the third year classrooms, a hall used for reunions and the boys' dormitories. The teachers' lounge and the principal's office are also there, but he doesn't show them to her as very rarely students go there.

Apart from the main tower, there are five more towers in the academy, surrounding it and forming a pentagram if looked from the sky. Each has a name that corresponds with the five elements: fire, wind, earth, water and void. The first and second year classrooms are in one tower, another is used as infirmary, other contains the baths, and one of them possesses the girls' dormitories, but the great majority of the space in the towers only has empty rooms that are used for storage.

Louis guides her to one of the courtyards, the Suori Courtyard, where the servants' quarters are located, in case she needs cleaning materials, when their little tour is brusquely interrupted.

"You!" the voice belongs to a boy. Louis and Sachiko turn around in time to see Guiche approaching them. He's glaring at Sachiko, his face red and his fists balled, while some guys follow close behind. "I've been looking for you!"

"What do you want Guiche?" Louis asks, standing between him and Sachiko before he gets too close. Guiche stops in front of him.

"It was because of you and your careless actions!" he ignores Louis and speaks directly to Sachiko. She frowns, confused.

"Pardon me?"

As response, he takes out something from his pocket and shows it to her. It's a small bottle. Sachiko recognizes it immediately.

"Oh, you have it back!" she says with a small smile. Guiche shakes his head.

"Yes, I have it back, thanks to you! Why did you have to give it to Katie? Couldn't you just keep it on you until you found me?" the commotion is attracting other students. Sachiko blinks.

"Em, I couldn't find you, and when I saw her…"

"Isn't that a bottle of perfume from Montmorency?" Louis asks, eyeing the bottle and beginning to understand. Guiche nods.

"Your familiar gave it to Katie!"

"Huh…" Louis crosses his arms and glares at him; "I see, so your two-timing has finally been blow. It was about time."

"Two-timing?" Sachiko doesn't understand a thing. She looks at one and the other, waiting for someone to explain the situation to her.

Louis shrugs. "Guiche is going out with Katie and Montmorency at the same time. I can assume Montmorency gave this bottle of perfume, which she only concocts for herself, to him, and when you gave it to Katie she found out about it. I suppose she confronted you" he says to Guiche; "that's why you're here."

"Not only Katie, but Montmorency also appeared!" one of the guys exclaims.

"The two dumped him in front of everyone!"

The guys look like Guiche's friends, but with such comments it's difficult to determine how deep their friendship actually is. Guiche blushes.

"Enough with this! Thanks to you, the reputation of two ladies has been tarnished; how will you take responsibility?" he asks Sachiko, his eyes fixed on her as he crosses his arms with some big flourish. Sachiko suddenly feels a headache just by looking at him.

"What? _I_ have to take responsibility? Isn't it your fault for two-timing?"

To her surprise, Guiche's friends laugh.

"She's right Guiche! This is your fault!"

"Ugh…" it's obvious he's being left without weapons. Louis lets out a sigh and shakes his head.

"Guiche, if you've come here only for this, I recommend you to leave. You're not only embarrassing yourself, but are making me and my familiar very uncomfortable."

"I'm not talking to you!" he finally explodes, yelling and leaving the little crowd that has been gathering around them in shock. After all, Guiche was well-known for his carefree attitude. For him to yell at someone his patience really had to reach its limit. He turns to Sachiko, now that Louis has been left speechless; "I want compensation for what you did! I demand an apology!"

Sachiko's eyes are wide open, her jaw slack. She quickly shakes her head and looks at him with determination. "No! Why should I apologize? It was an accident. Besides, you were two-timing! If I managed to save two innocent girls from you, then there's nothing I should apologize for!"

"You…!" he's shaking, but in the next second, he suddenly calms down. He relaxes and looks at Sachiko as if he's analyzing her. Sachiko doesn't like that look at all. "Well…" his voice is also calmer. Whatever he found in Sachiko after his brief analysis managed to tranquilize him. "Why am I getting so worked up for? You're right, it was an accident. To have expected a noble's courtesies from a commoner is something I shouldn't have done. My mistake."

At this, something inside Sachiko snaps. "Saying those kinds of things right after looking for a fight, aren't you just a sore loser? You're disgusting for getting angry now that your two-timing has been discovered. I'm glad those girls dumped you in front of everyone, that way no girl will be fooled by you again!"

Guiche's eyes narrow. He clicks his tongue and shakes his head, as if he's the one disgusted at her. "This is exactly what I was talking about. You don't even know the proper way to address a noble. Getting angry at some commoner it's not worth my time."

Sachiko is seething. She can no longer control herself. "What did you say, you over-pretentious bastard?! Comparing yourself to a rose, and then playing with two girls' hearts as if it's nothing, you're completely worthless! You should just go suck on roses for the rest of your life!"

"They don't understand the meaning of a rose's existence! I did not play with their hearts! And even if I did…" he lowers his head, his lips quirking down on one side; "that has nothing to do with you."

That is it. Without thinking, she pushes Louis aside and walks up to him with quick steps, before slapping him with all the strength she has. "Nothing to do with me?! You must be kidding!"

Guiche's face has turned to one side, his cheek is searing red and he has a few tears in his eyes. The crowd is silent once more, but this time, the air feels even heavier.

Guiche turns his face towards her slowly. "You low-life" he takes out his wand, which is ironically a rose, and prepares to cast a spell on her. Before he can, Louis snaps out of his trance and stands between the two of them with his arms extended.

"Guiche, please, whatever you're going to do now, take into consideration that we're still in school grounds, with teachers looking at us" he points with his head to a far part of the hallway where some adults have appeared. They're eyeing curiously, and some even sternly, the scene taking place in front of them. Guiche turns in that direction and seems to be in thought for a second, before going back to bore holes into Sachiko.

"I'll be waiting at Vestri Court" and with that he turns around and leaves.

Louis turns to Sachiko and shakes her by the shoulders.

"What is wrong with you?!"

Sachiko pushes him away. She looks around. "Does someone know where Vestri Court is?"

One of Guiche's friends, who stayed behind to make sure she didn't escape; answers; "this way, commoner."

"Oh, no, you won't" Louis stops her before she can even take a step forward. "Don't you understand how grave the situation is? If you fight against Guiche, you'll lose. Don't think he'll have any consideration just because you're a girl! I told you already, before being a woman, you're a familiar! If he beats you up he'll be in his right!"

"I don't care about that! He's freaking irritating! Besides, he made fun of me and all women! I definitely won't forgive him for that!"

"Can't you look at the situation rationally?! A commoner can never beat a mage! You'll be badly injured. Actually, you'll be very lucky if you come back alive with just injuries!"

"Take me to Vestri Court" Sachiko says to the boy, still waiting for her. Louis growls.

"Can't you listen for once?! Ugh, you know what? Screw this, we're going to Vestri Court, and you're going to apologize. Maybe if you do it now Guiche will forgive you" he grabs her wrist and drags her away. Sachiko protests.

"I'm not going to apologize! Let me go! I can go to Vestri Court on my own!" but everything she says is in vain. Before she notices it, they're already outside the main tower. She looks back, and is surprised when she sees Shiro standing behind with other servants. The servants look petrified, but he has a blank expression, as if he can't believe what's happening.

She has a bad feeling the moment their eyes met and he averts his gaze from hers.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm still wondering what do I do to make chapters so long. I was planning to get the duel scene done in this chapter, but I'll have to leave it for the next. Also, sorry if Guiche looks a bit OOC. I invented a full name for him too. Have you noticed only the girls (with the exception of Saito) have very long names? Makes me wonder why...**

 **Sachiko is a bit more innocent (naive) than Saito, and Louis thinks things through more than Louise. It makes sense in my head. I also took some liberties with the description of the academy. Hope you don't mind.**

 **We finally see the third genderbent character: Siesta. I don't really remember why I decided to genderbend her too, but every time I think about this story, I can only picture Shiro in my head. There are many differences between Shiro and Siesta. First one: Shiro is older. Why? Because for some reason, when I first watched Zero no Tsukaima I thought that since Siesta was working in the academy, then that meant she was past high school age. I know that's not the case now, but I'm going to use it for Shiro anyway. Also, between the three, Shiro is the one whose background changed the most, so he has more differences with Siesta than Louis and Sachiko do with Louise and Saito. He is Siesta at his core, of course, but more... mature, because of his different experiences.**

 **I almost have the next chapter done, so I think I can bring it in a few days.**


	5. Chapter 4: Unbowed

**A/N: Finally, the duel scene. Before you read this, I want to say something: just because I make a character do or think something, it doesn't mean that's how _I_ think or feel, or that I would do the same thing as them. I'm trying to write the characters as close as I can to their original personalities, and that means sometimes they'll do things you or I won't agree with. I'll try to leave personal opinions or thoughts out of this story as much as I can. With this in mind, read out.**

* * *

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 4: Unbowed**

 **...**

Vestri Court is located in the west part of the Academy, between the Wind and Fire Elemental towers. Due to its position, sunshine is scarce even at this time of the day, and so people don't usually come around here. Now, however, there is a big crowd of students gathered there, who have all heard about a duel taking place.

"It's a duel! The opponents are Guiche and Louis' familiar!"

 _I have a name you know?_ Sachiko thinks with a frown. She is no longer struggling to get free. There's no point now, when they're already in Vestri Court. Guiche is already there. He smells his rose, arrogantly showing himself calm as Sachiko and Louis approach him, the latter still dragging her like a rag doll.

"So you came. I commend you for not running away" he looks down at Louis' hand holding her; "or maybe not?"

Louis stops in front of him. He releases Sachiko and crosses his arms. "She is going to apologize, Guiche, so stop this foolishness at once."

"Oh, is she?" he smiles, putting down his rose; "Well, since she seems to have the decency to at least try it, I guess I can let her. Of course, she'll have to kneel and beg for forgiveness."

Louis' face gets red from indignation; "you as-!"

Sachiko steps forward before he can start yelling.

"As if; bring everything you have playboy."

"Umpf, as you wish" he pushes Louis behind him. Before he can move a muscle to stop what's happening, two of Guiche's friends hold his arms, preventing him from intervening.

"Don't try to stop them, this is Guiche's duel."

"That's right, even if she's your familiar, that doesn't matter right now."

"Stop joking!"

Sachiko narrows her eyes in thought. She'd be lying if she says she's confident, the anger from before diminishing and letting her look at the situation more calmly. She actually picked a fight with a guy. What is going on with her? _But I can't back away now; I'll have to apologize to him and I don't want to. Besides, he's super arrogant. The more I look at him, the more I want to beat him up._

She has never gotten into a fight in her life, less with a guy, but she has confidence in her strength, the mark of her palm shining a bright red against Guiche's cheek as proof of it. _He's tall, but he's also lanky and doesn't look too strong. Maybe he's one of those lazy aristocrats who have never done anything manual in his life. If I play my cards right, I think I can win…_ it was not impossible for a girl to win against a guy. She had heard some stories. _Better to get this over with quickly. Just remember the classes of self-defense you took in eighth grade. As for the rest of it… let's just hope for the best._

"Alright! Let's do it fair and square! Only fists, shoulders down!" she says in a loud voice. If they're going to fight better to establish some rules beforehand.

Guiche raises an eyebrow, a sickening smile pulling at his lips. "You won't really think I will lower myself to a commoner's level? I am a mage, therefore, I fight using magic. Surely you don't have any complaints?"

"Huh?" Guiche waves his rose. A single petal dances in the air. When it lands on the ground, there's a bright light. Once it dies down, a statue stands there where the petal landed. It's a female warrior completely made of metal, its armor gleaming under the pale sunlight. "What the heck is this thing?!"

"I forgot to mention it. My runic name is Bronze, Guiche the Bronze. Accordingly, my bronze golem Valkyrie shall be your opponent."

"This is cheating!"

"Cheating?" he lets out a dry laugh, and looks at her as if she's some insignificant ant. "You accepted this duel knowing very well you would fight against a noble. You had your chance to ask for forgiveness, and you didn't take it!" he waves the rose. Before Sachiko knows what's happening, the golem has already strike her in the stomach. She falls to her knees, unable to breath.

She breathes quickly, hugging herself and looking at Guiche with hatred. "H-How should I have known…?"

"That's enough!" Sachiko doesn't know how Louis managed to get free, but in one second he is kneeling next to her, helping her up. "Guiche stop this at once! You know dueling is strictly forbidden in the academy's grounds!"

"Actually, what is forbidden is dueling between nobles. No one said anything about duels with commoners" he explains in a bored tone. Louis growls.

"That's because no one thought something like this could ever happen!"

"Louis, don't tell me this commoner has touched your heart?"

Sachiko hears Louis sucking in air. She swears his blush is because of more than just anger.

"No! Don't be ridiculous! I just won't put up with my familiar getting beaten in front of my eyes!"

"You can go somewhere else then."

"Are you doing this on purpose?!"

"You two…" Sachiko finally speaks. They look at her as she gets away from Louis; "don't ignore me. I'm the one fighting here, no? I've just barely started…"

"Haven't you understood yet? A commoner can never beat a mage!"

"This is my fight, don't meddle."

"You're my familiar. I have the right to meddle in anything that concerns you!"

"Since when do you care?"

Louis' face contorts in anger. He grabs one of her arms and starts to drag her to the other side of the courtyard. "The fact I didn't expect you to be my familiar doesn't mean I'll be ok seeing you die in front of my eyes; and for something as stupid as this! So stop being so headstrong and just apologize already!"

"No!" she shouts. She tries to get free, but he's stronger than her. "Someone, he's trying to make me leave!"

Her cries are heard and in no time a few guys hold back Louis.

"You idiot!"

"Still willing to fight? It seems I'm being too soft on you" Guiche says with a pale smile. Sachiko snorts, her fighting spirit starting to wake up.

"That was nothing. Your little statue is too weak."

Guiche's smile disappears. The Valkyrie attacks again.

Like a vice cycle, it happens over and over. Guiche's golem strikes Sachiko, she stands up, and every time it happens, there's a new bruise on her body, more blood staining her clothes, and she's a little wobblier than the last time. After a while, no one is cheering. They're just looking at the duel attentively. Guiche clicks his tongue.

"Ready to give up?" he has his rose in the air. The Valkyrie is still. Sachiko, lying on the ground, is holding herself up with her arms. She coughs, and when her eyes fall to the ground she sees small drops of blood on the grass. She dries her bloody mouth with a sleeve and stands up.

The Valkyrie strikes her right arm. Sachiko lets out a cry of pain, falling to her knees.

"Sachiko!" it's Louis' voice, but she hears it like under a veil. With her left hand she touches her right arm, assessing the damage. She winces and retreats her hand immediately. _As I thought, it's broken_. She's in a state where she's barely aware of her surroundings anymore. _I wonder… is this how I'm going to die? In this unknown world, beaten up by some arrogant brat's doll?_

She looks at Guiche from her lying position. He's waiting for her to stand up. His expression is indefinable, but she thinks she's not too crazy to believe there's a bit of discomfort in his face. _If he feels bad about this, why does he continue? Well, I wouldn't want him to give up now, not after everything he put me through. At the very least, I want to…_

Louis' words resound in her mind. _No matter what he feels now, if he has to kill me, he will. No one cares here where I am from, or what my name is. Louis said so. For them, is this justice?_

"Sachiko!" Louis is at her side again. She doesn't know how much time she's been lying, unmoving.

She opens her eyes. She didn't notice they were closed. The first thing she sees is Louis' face framed by a backdrop of blue sky. There are tears in his eyes.

Her chest hurts for the continued blows, but she manages to croak out; "are you crying?"

"I am not!" contrary to his words, he dries his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt. "Who would cry in a moment like this? Are you happy now? You've done enough. You are like no other commoner I've ever seen, now please, stop fighting!"

Sachiko sees his lips moving. She hears him talking, but she doesn't understand the words. She opens her mouth, she doesn't even know what for, but Louis shakes his head before she can get a word out.

"Don't talk" he shushes her. It looks like he's containing his tears with everything he has. "If there's anything you want to say, do it later, when we get you out of here. For now, we…"

"Are you two done?" Guiche asks with impatience. Louis ignores him.

"Come on, I'll take you to the infirmary."

"But the duel…"

"Who cares about the duel?!" he yells. Sachiko would have flinched if she wasn't so wear out. "Sachiko, this is not funny anymore! Don't you realize at this pace you're going to die?!"

Sachiko's breath is heavy and difficult, her head hurts and her arm is beginning to throb in pain, but she notices something that makes her smile despite everything. "You've… finally called me by my name…"

Louis looks at her as if she's crazy, and maybe she is, because she gathers strength from somewhere unknown and sits up. At this point, it's no longer about teaching Guiche a lesson, it's merely about what she thinks is right. Is stubbornness, and it is folly, but then, she has nothing else to cling to in this world.

Guiche sighs. "Are you really going to continue?"

"I'm just catching my breath…"

"I won't allow you to continue!" Louis pulls her against him. She leans without resistance, as her body barely holds any strength of its own; "Guiche! It's enough already! Aren't you satisfied?"

"I can still fight!"

"You can't even hold yourself up!"

"Well…" Guiche flicks his rose. Another petal flies in their direction. The moment it touches the ground near Sachiko, it transforms into a sword. "I must admit I don't feel like continuing this any longer, but if she's so desperate to keep fighting, the least she needs is a weapon. This is the least you commoners will need if you want to take revenge upon us nobles."

Sachiko stares at the sword. Unconsciously, she reaches for it. Louis holds her tighter. "What have I told you? If you grab that sword, it's over! Guiche will no longer hesitate! He'll just kill you!"

"It's my life only worth that much?"

"You don't even have the right of a commoner. You're a simple familiar. So yes, this is as much as your life is worth for a noble like him!"

"I see…" she lowers her head. Louis lets out a sigh of relief; "you know…"

"Huh?"

"This really irritates me…"

"It irritates you?" Louis asks as if he can't believe she's saying this.

"Yes. I mean, I already accepted I'm trapped in this world, without a way to go back. I must act as a servant in this place, washing your clothes and cleaning… I can do that. I have no problem with that. It's not like I have much of a choice. But… why should I stand for this? Why should I let everyone treat me like they please, just because I can't do magic? Just because I'm a familiar, it means my life is worthless compared to yours? That's something I cannot stand…"

"Sachiko, what are you…?"

"That's why, even if I have no choice, even if everyone treats me like I'm nothing, I will stand it. The only thing I won't stand…" she raises her head. Before Louis can stop her, she's reaching for the sword with her left hand; "is anyone trying to make me bow against my will!"

Her hand clutches around the hilt. She feels a rush of energy spreading throughout her body. Suddenly, her mind is clearer, her body feels lighter. She stands up and steps forward, leaving Louis behind.

 _This…_ just one second ago, she was in so much agony she could barely form a coherent thought. Now, however, she feels as if she's floating, like she's as light as a feather. Everything looks as if it's happening at slow motion. _What did just happen?_ She looks down at the sword, and gasps upon seeing her hand; or more specifically, the runes on her left hand, glowing brightly. _Is this because of them? Is this happening because I took the sword?_ The blade feels familiar in her hand, almost as if it is an extension of her arm. _But I've never before held a sword…_

"I can't believe it" Guiche says with incredulity. He growls, preparing to wave his rose again. "You're completely out of your mind! Since you asked for it, I won't hold back anymore!"

The Valkyrie prepares to strike her, but this time, her movements look much more clumsy and mechanical. _Huh? This thing is so slow. Have I really been kicked around by this_ _ **thing**_ _?_

She slices it in half when it's about to reach her. The two halves struck the ground with a loud clang. For a moment the whole courtyard is left in the most complete silence.

Sachiko doesn't waste more time. She spins the hilt in her palm and prepares to attack Guiche. Seeing her approaching, Guiche waves his rose desperately. Six more petals fly down. That makes for the totality of Guiche's valkyries. They surround Sachiko, but they're not fast enough. She cuts them down two at a time before reaching Guiche. She kicks him on the chest and straddles him. The sword is raised high above his neck. Sachiko looks down at him with cold eyes.

"Want to continue?" she asks bitterly. Guiche shakes his head.

"I-I yield…" he whispers in fear. Sachiko smirks, before lowering the sword. Guiche closes his eyes, but hears a thud beside his head. When he opens them, the sword is incrusted in the ground next to him. Sachiko stands up and begins to walk away.

The crowd takes a few seconds to burst out in cheers.

"Did you see that? The commoner won!"

"She actually managed to defeat Guiche! She's amazing!"

"That's one cool familiar for sure!"

She can barely hear their cheers. She's feeling tired again. Her body gives in, and she thinks she hears someone calling her name.

Louis catches her before she can hit the ground. "You… I can't believe you actually made it" his voice is full of amazement and reverence. It soon changes, his face becoming a mask of anger. "Even though I told you to stop, but you had to continue until you reached this state. Why do you do things on your own? You're nothing more but a familiar…"

"Louis…" he stiffens. He softly deposits Sachiko on the ground, before turning around and walking up to Guiche. "That girl… just what is she? All of my valkyries were-"

Louis doesn't let him finish. With a blow to the face, he sends Guiche sprawling to the ground. He's trembling terribly. "Never" he pronounces slowly, his face showing a very dangerous expression; "do something like that again, or next time, not only Sachiko, but _me too_ , will make sure you don't live enough to regret it."

With that, he turns around towards Sachiko, leaving an astounded crowd behind. He plans on carrying Sachiko to his bedroom, but someone gets ahead of him.

"I hope you don't mind" Kirche says. She has put a levitation spell on Sachiko. Louis narrows his eyes. "Regardless of what we think of each other, I don't think we should move her body too much. I'll take her to the infirmary."

"My room" he interrupts, heading to the main tower, where the boys' dormitories are located. "I can take care of her there, and she won't have to move more than necessary."

"As you wish" and like that, the two of them disappear inside the tower.

* * *

The morning light wakes Sachiko up. Her body is covered in bandages.

 _I… almost died_ she thinks, surprisingly being able to remember everything that took place perfectly. _I dueled with that Guiche guy and I almost died, but then…_

Then she pulled out some miraculous victory. She still can't quite believe what she did.

 _I wonder if I can move. Where is Louis? And… why am I in his bed?_ She recognizes the bedroom. She tries moving her fingers and finds she can. Slowly, she raises her arm, examines it, and puts it down again. It takes her another second to realize that's her right arm, the one that was supposedly broken. _How can this be possible? Is it magic?_

The door opens in that moment. She turns her head, and sees Shiro entering with a tray of food. She can also see Louis, sitting at the table, his head resting on his arms. There are big purple bags under his eyes and he's sound asleep.

Sachiko gives Shiro a shy smile when he notices she's awake. "Miss Sachiko! Thank the Founder!" he places the tray next to Louis' head and approaches her. "How long have you been awake?"

"Just a few seconds" her voice is cracking, so she clears her throat. She blushes. "How long have I been asleep?" she asks as she tries to sit up. Shiro helps her. The bed sheet that was covering her chest slips down, and she hurries to cover herself when she sees there are only bandages covering her breasts. Shiro doesn't seem to notice or care, and he answers:

"Three days and nights straight" Sachiko's eyes pop open.

"B-But… how can that…?"

"You got us really worried. We were scared you might never wake up."

"We?"

"Ah, from the staff, of course" he hastily explains. Sachiko nods, looking at her arm again. "Well, now that you're awake, you should eat something" he retrieves the tray from the table and passes it to her. "The food was meant for Mr. Vallière, but after he took care of you all this time, I'm sure he would want you to eat first."

Sachiko is accepting the tray when she stops and looks at Shiro with a blink of the eyes. "Louis, he… took care of me?"

"Yes" he says, tilting his head as if he's surprised she's surprised. "He didn't sleep one bit in these three days. I offered to take care of you, as did other servants, but he refused our help. He changed your bandages and wiped off the sweat from your forehead."

"He changed my bandages?!"

"Not the ones from the chest, so you don't have to worry" Shiro laughs at her expression and Sachiko pouts. "That was the only moment he would let me help."

Her jaw goes slack. Shiro's laugh gets louder. "You're an idiot!" she yells, and if she could, she would hit him. Shiro shakes his head, drying a tear from his eye.

"Sorry, but you should have seen your face" Sachiko puffs her cheeks, and Shiro shakes his head to clear his mind. "No, he asked Siesta and Katherine to help with that."

"I assume Siesta and Katherine are maids, right?"

"You assume right."

"So…" she looks at her arm again. Shiro immediately understands what is it that she wants to ask.

"Ah, Mr. Vallière got a teacher to cast a spell of healing on you. Your injuries were quite serious."

"Spell of healing?"

"Yes. It's magic to help treat injuries or illness. You didn't know?"

"No…"

Shiro looks at her with a frown. Sachiko becomes nervous, but luckily, he continues. "Also, Mr. Vallière paid for the reagent that was required for the spell, so don't be concerned about it."

"…Reagent?"

"It's, how do you say it, an object necessary to cast a spell."

"Something like a catalyst?"

"Um, yes, something like that…"

He looks at her with the same frown. He must be wondering why is it that she doesn't know such basic terminology, so she speaks before he can ask her anything.

"D-Did that reagent cost a lot?"

"Well, it's certainly not something a commoner could afford…"

She asked the question to change subjects, but she can't help but feel bad after hearing Shiro, even after he told her not to worry about it. She casts a look at Louis. He looks very tired. Shiro said he took care of her the entire three days. If that's how it is, then he must be exhausted. _He can be nice when he wants to, right?_ She looks down at her arm. _On the other hand, this is real magic, isn't it? To be able to heal a broken arm in only three days, this is something to be proud of._

"There's also something else…" Shiro interrupts her line of thought. She looks at him, but is surprised when she sees a light blush on his face. He's glancing a little to the side. "I wanted to apologize for not being there with you. I… when Mr. Vallière dragged you to Vestri Court, I didn't try to stop him, or you. I did nothing and…"

"Shiro, you don't need to apologize for that" Sachiko says with gentle eyes. Shiro shakes his head.

"I feel like I have to. I left you alone even after I said you could count on me or anyone from the staff to help you. But when everyone heard you were going to have a duel with a noble, they…"

"They were scared?"

"…Yes" his shoulders sag. Sachiko doesn't think he should beat himself up so badly. After being in a fight with a noble herself, she can clearly see why anyone would be scared of them and provoking their anger. _I'm still alive only by a miracle, really._ She looks at the runes in her left hand. _When I grabbed the sword, they glowed, but now they're not. Did I win thanks to them?_

"You know" Shiro speaks again, taking Sachiko away from her thoughts. "What you did there, with Mr. Gramont, it was really impressive."

Sachiko blushes. She has just been thinking that. "N-Not really, I mean…"

"It _is_ impressive" he insists. He holds her hands in his, and Sachiko's face becomes so red someone could fry an egg on it. "For the people here, who are always lowering their heads to the nobles, who live in fear of one of them getting angry, what you did, beat up a noble, it's more than impressive; it's encouraging. You have given them the courage they lacked all this time. Just by standing for your own and remaining firm on your position, you've done a really wonderful thing."

Sachiko cannot feel her head anymore. There's too much heat in it. Not only is Shiro holding her hands and looking at her with such passionate eyes, he's also complimenting her more than anyone else in her life has ever done so. "Y-You're exaggerating…" he shakes his head, but before he can continue she asks something, mostly because she doesn't think she'll be able to stand more of his compliments without fainting. "Why are you saying 'they'? Don't you include yourself between those scared of the nobles?"

She regrets the question when his smile disappears. He doesn't release her hands though, and that might be sign that she didn't screw up so badly, like she has the tendency to do. "It's not that… I'm not scared. No, well, I am not, to be honest. What I feel is more like…"

He never finishes. Louis stirs in that moment. He groans softly, sits up and stretches like a cat. When he opens his eyes the first thing he sees is Sachiko and Shiro holding hands.

Without knowing why, Sachiko takes her hands away from Shiro's immediately.

Louis raises an eyebrow. "You're awake…" he stands up, slowly walking up to them. Sachiko swallows, her face getting a little pale. She doesn't know why, but he's making her nervous.

"I-I am…" why does she feel as if she has done something bad? She was only holding hands with Shiro, so she doesn't understand why Louis looks so bothered… _unless… No, that's ridiculous. This is Louis and he only sees me as a familiar._

"Are you feeling better?"

"Y-Yes… thank you…" _Though it's true he took care of me these past three days. Maybe… maybe he wants to congratulate me? Has he changed his mind about me?_

That doesn't happen; instead, Louis grabs the tray, pushes it on Shiro's arms, and picks up Sachiko from one of her arms. "If you're better now; get off my bed!" he throws her to the floor. Sachiko lets out a groan of protest.

"Hey! I'm still an injured person!" she stands up. Her body objects, but it's nothing she cannot take. Louis sits on the bed and crosses his arms.

"If you're well enough to complain then you're well enough for anything else" he then points at a corner with his chin; "that's the laundry that's piled up while you were asleep. Once you're done with that, clean up the room. Hop to it!"

"It seems my presence is no longer required here" Shiro says before Sachiko can answer back. "Now, with your permission, I'll take my leave."

"Please, and thank you for your hard work" Louis says, looking at him for a second. Shiro bows and leaves. Louis looks at Sachiko again. "Now, about you…"

"What?" she asks sourly. She stands up and looks for her t-shirt. She finds it carefully folded in one of the chairs. She's a little surprised, but as she takes it and pulls it over her head, she hears Louis growling.

"You are really stupid" Sachiko frowns. She turns to look at him. He's completely pissed, which makes Sachiko involuntarily take a step back. "What were you thinking, accepting a duel so carelessly like that?"

"Are you seriously going to lecture me now?"

"Of course I am!" he shouts, shutting her up for good. "Do you have any idea how stupid of you that was? First of all you insult a noble. Even if Guiche isn't that powerful, he's still quite adept in his domain. He was seriously going to kill you! And you know the worst part? If he would have done that, he would have been in his right!"

At that, Sachiko can't remain silent. She frowns, giving one step forward; "In his right?! He picks a fight with me, uses his bronze dolls to attack me repeatedly without giving me a chance to defend myself, and you say he would have been in his right?! If he wanted a real duel with me, he should have fought himself!"

"That's not how it works!" Louis speaks louder. He sounds exasperated more than angry now. "He's a mage; of course he fights using magic."

"Well, I'm supposed to be a commoner; he should have stepped down to have a fair fight with me."

"Why? Everybody knows that when a noble duels, they use magic."

"I didn't know! I am not from this world, remember?!"

"But no one else knows that!" he stands up, his fists balled to his sides and his eyes wide. He's not angry, she realizes, he's just irritated by this point. "If no one knows you're from a different world, how would they suspect you don't know something so basic? Moreover, in any moment during the duel you could have yield, and Guiche would have been expected to stop! But did you do that? No! You kept fighting, even though you didn't stand a chance, even though you were about to die! For what though? Do you think anyone learned something out of this? Do you think your death would have made a difference? I have no idea how in the world you managed to win, but only because things turned in your favor it doesn't mean you're free from guilt! Because of your foolishness, you ended up giving people a lot of trouble. The servants, the teachers, and me! Never…" he's shaking, and he has to take a deep breath before continuing; "never do something like that again!"

Silence engulfs the room when he's finished. Sachiko has been left speechless. Although she still thinks it's a little unfair he's blaming her for everything, the last part sticks with her like glue. _By troubling, does he mean worrying? Well, Shiro said the staff was wondering if I would wake up, and that they've been helping Louis with me while I was unconscious. He also said he got a teacher to cast a spell of healing on me, and he spent a lot of money on a reagent for me. He also spent three days without sleeping because of me…_

She looks down, feeling dejected. She didn't think she would trouble people to this extent. Although she feels she has done the right thing by not letting Guiche walk over her, she feels guilty she has made everyone worried about her. She hears a little sigh.

"As long as you understand, it's alright" Louis approaches her. Sachiko shyly raises her head. To her surprise and confusion, his eyes seem to twinkle with something akin to mischief. "You are not going to do something like that anymore, are you?" he asks softly. Sachiko thinks for a moment. Would she? _Yes, yes I would._ She will never bow down to anyone against her will, but to spare her more of Louis' reprimanding, she nods. "Good, then don't make that expression. Just don't forget; you are my familiar. Is that clear?" and pats her head.

The meaning behind that last phrase isn't clear to her, but Sachiko thinks he's referring about these past three days. He's her master, and he'll take care of her. She thinks that's what he means. She gives a tentative smile. She remembers what Shiro told her a few days ago, that she should try getting along with Louis. Thinking this, her smile grows, becoming more genuine.

* * *

 **A/N: I can't believe it took me so long to reach this part, ugh...**

 **One of the things I always wondered whenever I watched this scene was: why is nobody helping Saito? Because let's admit it, more than a duel it was a slaughter. Then I tried to see things the way the students would have seen it, and what Louis says is more or less the conclusion I came up with. Crappy as it is.**

 **Changed the rating because this chapter is kinda violent. It'll give me free-way to add stronger things in the future too, though I very much doubt the story will reach M rating. But who knows.**


	6. Chapter 5: Routine

**.**

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 5: Routine**

 **...**

"Ah…" with a long sigh, Sachiko rinses the shirt in her hands. Since the day she dueled with Guiche, a week has passed. Slowly she's been getting into a routine of sorts.

She wakes up early in the morning. Her bed is a worn out mattress Louis got for her. It's thin and smells of dust, but after washing it and laying it on the floor; she finds it's better than nothing. That along with the blanket he gave her the first day make up for her bed, which is placed in a corner of the bedroom, next to the window so she can wake up first as soon as the sun is up.

Her job, once she is awake, is waking up Louis. If she ever oversleeps, Louis would make sure to wake her up in some forceful way, like stepping on her, and deny her breakfast. According to him, a stupid familiar that needs to be woken by her master needs to be punished.

The second thing she does, or rather, the first, if she has the good fortune of waking up before Louis, is going downstairs to the fountain and collect some water. She would then proceed to help him wash his face. When she complained a second time about how ridiculous is making her do this, he denied her breakfast.

The third thing, once Louis' face is clean, is dressing him up. Sachiko is getting better at ignoring any improper thoughts she may have when she does this. Sometimes though, she can't hide her embarrassment, which Louis takes as displeasure, and she's denied breakfast as a result.

Of course, if she complains or tells him to put on his belt himself, she'll be denied breakfast.

After that, she has to accompany Louis to classes. She sits on the floor, since other than Mrs. Chevreuse none of the teachers seem to consider her human. It makes her angry, but she learned to be ok with it, and with her free time she sleeps or plays with the students' familiars.

To this point it's pretty easy getting along with Louis. They don't speak to each other. She does her chores and he barely pays her any mind. Sometimes she even cleans up the room while he's studying, sweeping with a broom, wiping the furniture and windows with a damp cloth and changing the sheets of the bed.

She does try talking to him, despite her initial reluctance, a day after the duel.

"Can you teach me how to read?" she asks. It was one of those days she was cleaning while he studied. Right after wiping the bookshelf she grabbed one of the books and swept through the pages. The book was written in a strange language, curved letters and lines sometimes graced with scattered points. She doesn't know if she should read vertically or horizontally, she doesn't even know if she's holding the book right, but she wants to know. If she knows how to read, then she can investigate. If she can investigate, she might find something to help her go back to her world.

"Why are you interested?" he asks, not lifting his eyes from the parchment he's writing on.

"Maybe I can find a way to go back to my world in one of these books."

"I highly doubt it" he says, putting down his quill and looking at her. "I read all the books in that bookshelf, and I can tell you none of them has anything useful for you."

"What about the library? Maybe I can go there…"

"Commoners are not allowed in, remember? In any case, I'll be the one investigating, so it's not necessary for you to read."

Sachiko frowns, putting the book back in its place. "Two minds work better than one. I can help."

"You won't even know where to begin, and even if you did, you wouldn't be able to understand anything in the books."

"Are you implying that I'm too stupid to understand your fancy books?" she raises her voice and crosses her arms with indignation. Louis only rolls his eyes and goes backs to his parchment.

"I'm saying you've been here, what? Four days? Of which you were asleep three. You not only don't know anything about basic magic, but you don't even know the rules of this world or what could apply to you. How can you look for something if you don't know what it looks like?"

"Mm…" she lowers her arms and bites her lips; "but I can learn… I don't want to do nothing while you're the only one investigating" not taking into consideration she doesn't trust him to take some of his time to actually go looking through books searching for a way to send her back. Not that he wouldn't want to, but maybe with time he decides it's too much of a bother and that things are alright the way they are. That thought scares her.

"And you will, but for now just leave this to me, ok?" his tone is soft but final. He won't take no for an answer.

"What about teaching me how to read? Will you do that?"

"Ugh…" he puts down the quill again and this time fully turns towards her, glaring. "Why are you being so annoying? I want to study!"

"I want to read. Will you teach me?" she tilts her head, trying to look cute. Though knowing him, it surely is a wasted effort.

"Do you really want to?" he crosses his arms and examines her. Sachiko resists the small shudder threatening to go through her at the way his gaze sweeps over her so blatantly. With a small gulp, she nods.

"Won't it be more convenient if I knew? That way I will be able to help you more" she says in an attempt to convince him. He bites his lips, thinks about it, before letting out a sigh.

"Alright, but not now. When we go to my house this summer I can ask one of the servants to teach you."

"This summer?" he nods. "How long is until summer?"

"Two months and a half."

"That's an eternity!" she protests; "Why can't you just teach me yourself?"

"I don't have the time to sit down with you and teach you properly, and if you want to know how to read then we'd have to be constant. I'm very busy so it can't be me."

"Busy with what?"

"Studying, of course" he responds as if she's stupid.

"What good is studying if you can't even do magic?" she whispers sourly to herself, but not low enough for Louis not to hear her. He slams the quill on the desk and stands up. Sachiko is already bowing. "Forgive me master, it was not my intention to insult you."

"If it was, you would be dead now" he sits down again and resumes his studies. Sachiko makes a few faces before going back to wiping the bookshelf.

Ever since then, they don't talk to each other unless is strictly necessary. His silence unnerves her, but she doesn't try engaging in conversation with him. Wouldn't know what to say even if she did. The physical closeness does very little to bring emotional intimacy, and thus, their relationship grows strained. Sachiko doesn't know if that's a bad thing or not.

"Ah…" she sighs again; throwing the shirt in the basket of clean ones and grabbing another so she can wash it. "Two months and a half… if he's so busy studying then when is he going to investigate? I thought he wanted me gone so he could summon a cooler familiar…" she sighs once again, scrubbing with a bit more force than necessary.

She washes Louis' clothes in the same fountain where she collects the water to wash his face. The water is cold and bites cruelly at her fingers. She remembers asking Louis if he couldn't give her some warm water, so her hands don't end up opening and cracking, but he snappishly told her to bear with it, that other servants use that same fountain to wash the other students' clothes and to stop complaining.

"Ugh, that guy is so annoying! I bet he's actually happy he has a personal maid and won't let me go anymore! A pervert, he's a pervert! Why else does he want me to stay in his room instead of giving me one of my own in the servants' quarters? He even went as far as to tell the servants to stop cleaning his room and washing his clothes so I could do it for him! And what about washing his face and dressing him up? If this is not sexual harassment then I don't know what it is!"

She knows this because Shiro told her, in one of her many excursions to the kitchens. That and when the head of staff asked Louis if he didn't want to rent a room for Sachiko instead of having her staying with him, he said no, claiming that was an unnecessary waste of money. Shiro is also the one who gave her the washboard she's using now, scrubbing harder and harder in her rage and not noticing it until she hears something tearing. She stops immediately, and fearfully raises the shirt to her eye-level.

"Oh, snap…" as expected, there's a huge rag in the shirt. "He's going to kill me…"

She looks around, before starting to dig in the earth with her hands. She throws the shirt in the hole and covers it again. "There, no evidence left. Let's just hope it doesn't transform into a tsukumogami. With Louis as the owner, it'll probably come haunt me in the afterlife" she presses her hands together and lowers her head in pray.

"What are you doing?" her head snaps up. Shiro is looking at her with a raised eyebrow. She blushes.

"Ah, no, you see…" she fidgets, playing with her fingers. Shiro glances down, and sees the mound of earth next to her feet.

"Do I want to know?"

"I just…" she bites her lips before sighing; "I tear up one of Louis' shirts and buried it…"

"Buried it?"

"Yes, to hide the evidence…"

Shiro looks at her, then at the mound. And then bursts out laughing.

"This is not funny!" Sachiko says with her face red. Shiro shakes his head.

"Of course it is! That's one way of solving your problems, isn't it?"

"What else can I do? If I tell him I tear up one of his shirts he's going to kill me!"

"Anyone else would have tried sewing it" she glances down and Shiro blinks. "Oh, you don't know how to sew?"

"I was learning…" not that she had a lot of time to improve beyond small stitches here and there.

"It's not difficult" he kneels down and unburies the shirt. Sachiko tries to stop him, telling him he's going to get dirty, but he simply shakes his head. "I don't mind a bit of dirt. Wow, this is disgusting…" he says as he extends the now brown shirt for him to see. "We should wash it first, then I can sew it and you'll give it back to your master. He doesn't even need to know."

"Can you do that?"

"Sure, I'm telling you I can, aren't I?" he gives her a bright smile.

"No, what I mean is… won't it be too obvious that it was stitched back together?"

"Don't worry, I assure you no one will be able to tell the difference" he says confidently. Sachiko looks at him with a worried expression. Even if he's very good sewing, there surely must be a limit to his abilities. "Or would you prefer to tell him?" he asks when he sees she's not sure.

"I'd prefer to bury it while I can" Shiro laughs again.

"Depending on how careful he is with his stuff, he might notice he's one shirt the less, and if he does he'll be angrier that you tried to hide this from him. If he notices the stitches, at least you can say you tried."

"Fine…" Sachiko sighs, giving up.

"Good, then I'll have it ready by dinner. Will you come again?" he asks as he folds the shirt. This time Sachiko smiles.

"Of course!"

"Great. Today Marteau has prepared something special for you."

"Oh" she gives a step forward, her eyes shining curiously; "and what is it?"

"You'll know tonight. For now, I'll leave you to your work" he gestures with his head to the basket full of dirty clothes on the ground. Sachiko groans.

"It's amazing how much I have to wash. Do you know he changes clothes at least three times a day?"

"Maybe he likes being clean."

"It's stupid, that's what it is" she crosses her arms and pouts. Shiro smiles tenderly.

"See you tonight, Miss Sachiko" he gives her a nod and leaves. Sachiko watches him go until he disappears inside the academy. Giving a sigh, she continues with her chores.

Although she hasn't spoken with Louis all that much, this week had certainly not go without a few surprises. Besides Shiro, there are two other people who have approached her during the week. All while she was off washing Louis' clothes.

* * *

The first one wasn't really that much of a surprise.

"What do you say of a girls' time with me?"

Sachiko turns around. Kirche is behind her, her hands on her hips and a mischievous smile on her lips. She knows she's talking to her, as she's looking directly at her, but she can't help but look around and search for that girl Kirche is talking to.

"I'm talking to you" that's pretty obvious. With a sigh, Sachiko looks at her.

"It would be nice but… why?"

Kirche blinks, apparently surprised she would even ask. "Why? Because we're friends, that's why."

"We're friends?" she doesn't want to be rude, but the statement certainly takes her by surprise. Kirche cocks an eyebrow, before shaking her head.

"Did Louis say something to you? Did he forbid you from talking to me or being my friend?"

"Wait, what? What does Louis have to do with any of this?"

"You're saying he didn't tell you anything?"

"I'm starting to get a bit lost here…"

"It doesn't matter then" she dismisses the matter with a wave of her hand. "So, are you in?"

"Ehm…" she glances down at the basket full of wet clothes she just finished washing. "I have to hang the clothes, so…"

"There's no problem then" she takes out a wand from the cleavage of her breasts, a thin thing the size of a pencil, and recites an incantation. With a spark Sachiko feels a wave of heat emanating from the basket. When she kneels and touches one of the garments, she gasps at finding it dry. "See? Now you don't have to hang them! So, are you coming?"

"Uh, well, I…" she bites her lips in thought. It's not like she has something against Kirche, but she doesn't know her that well, and she's still baffled at the fact she thinks they're friends.

"Oh, come on, I don't bite. Besides" she grins; "I have cookies."

Well, who is she to say no to cookies. With the basket under an arm, she follows Kirche to the girls' dormitories. Kirche's room is in the third floor, the last door to the left. There are three more doors in the hallway, but Kirche tells her the only room occupied is hers.

"Make yourself comfortable" she tells her, letting her enter first. Sachiko does so slowly, leaving the basket on the floor next to the door.

The room looks a lot like Louis' except the arrangement is a little different. The bed is placed right next to the window with the headboard besides it. She has two big wardrobes, separated enough for a body-sized mirror between them. She also has a vanity in front of the bed and an empty desk hidden in a corner. Compared to Louis' room, this one is vastly and luxuriously decorated.

Sachiko slowly walks to the center of the room while glancing around, when something pounces her from under the bed.

"Ah! What is this thing?!" she feels the weight of the animal, a reptile of sorts but enormous, crushing her. Intense heat radiates from it, and she tries to wriggle free.

"Flame, get off her" Kirche commands. The reptile takes another second before doing as told. It sits next to Sachiko, curiously glancing her up and down. "Forgive him. I think he likes you."

"Is that so…" she sits up and looks at the reptile. It looks like a giant salamander with red scales and a long tail, from which point there's a small flame sizzling quietly. "And this is…"

"My familiar. A fire salamander from the Fire Mountains. I named him Flame" Kirche explains proudly.

"You are fantastic giving out names."

"Thank you" Sachiko raises an eyebrow. Well, better if she takes it as a compliment… not like she wanted to insult her or anything. "So…" Kirche sits on her bed, crossing her legs, and pats the place next to her. Sachiko gets up and sits with a bit of apprehensiveness; "tell me about you."

"About… me?"

"Yes. I want to know more about you. I'm sure you're a very interesting person" Kirche says with a big smile. Sachiko glances down in thought.

"Before that… can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing. Go ahead."

"Why do you want to be my friend?" is it bad that she distrusts nobles after her duel with Guiche? She just can't fathom a reason Kirche would want to know about her.

Kirche blinks, for a second time surprised at her question. "Well, first, you completely amazed me at the duel with Guiche. I thought someone with your strength would be worthy getting close to. But even without that I was already planning on talking to you. After all, you're Louis' familiar. Someone has to rescue you from that small demon."

"Rescue me…" she doesn't know why the choice of words bothers her so much. Then, she realizes the first part; "did you watch the duel?"

"Of course! Why else would I be saying this?"

"So you watched…" Sachiko looks at her pensively. She finds it ironic she's talking of rescuing her from Louis, when she didn't raise a finger to help her when Guiche was beating her to death. No one did. The only one who stood up for her was Louis. The very same person she's trying to 'rescue' her from. Suddenly she realizes why she feels so bothered.

"So, do you want to be my friend?" Kirche continues, not noticing Sachiko's heavy stare. She bites her lips. Despite everything, Kirche doesn't look like a bad person, and having a noble friend might prove helpful in her search for home. She finally nods. "Fantastic! So, about you…"

"Why don't you tell me about you instead?" Sachiko interrupts, giving her a kind smile. She wants to avoid talking about herself as much as possible.

"Me?" Sachiko nods. "Oh well, where to start?" she laughs softly. Apparently the question flatters her. Maybe she likes talking about herself. "Um, basic things. My full name is Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst" Sachiko can't help but wince. This has to be the longest name she has heard yet. "I'm from Germania and my specialty is fire magic. I'm a triangle-class" she winks.

"Oh, so you're pretty powerful" Sachiko says with a teasing smile, before frowning; "Germania?"

"Yes, you know, Germania" she repeats, but the name has no meaning for Sachiko. "You do know Germania, don't you?"

"Ehm…"

"Where are you from?" this time Kirche is frowning as well. So much for not talking about herself…

"Far…"

"Oh" Kirche nods. Sachiko blinks. What does she mean by 'oh'? "Does the name Halkeginia ring a bell for you?"

"No…"

At this, Kirche stands up and walks up to the forgotten desk. She opens a drawer and pulls a thin book from it. Louis has bookshelves with many books, but apparently Kirche prefers to stack them away in her desk. She opens the book on her bed, next to Sachiko, and searches through the pages until she stops at one where there's a map drawn. It looks like a continent, with the ocean at the west and south and land extending north, east and a bit south. It's colored in multiple colors depicting forests, mountains, hills and an extensive desert at the east, while at the far north everything is colored white.

"Does any of this look familiar to you?" Kirche asks. Sachiko shakes her head, still looking at the map. The land is divided by lines, probably separating countries, but she has no idea what she's looking at. "This is Halkeginia, our continent, and this" she points at a small country at the northwest, "is Tristain, the country we're in. And this big one here at the north is Germania" her finger points at the big mass of land expanding all the way to the desert and the tundra.

"Oh…" so this is how the place she's in looks like. She looks at Tristain, a small knot forming in her stomach. It's so weird, seeing it in a map where it looks more real and not just knowing in her mind that she's not only in another country, but a different world altogether.

"You're not from Halkeginia, I take" Kirche says when she looks at her expression. Sachiko shakes her head again. "I see…" she narrows her eyes, probably ready to ask her a million questions Sachiko doesn't know how she's going to answer. So instead, she rapidly changes subjects.

"Why did you ask earlier if Louis forbid me from being your friend?" though in all honesty, the question is as much for changing subjects as to satiate her own curiosity. Kirche shrugs, apparently not noticing Sachiko's attempt to divert her attention.

"We don't really get along."

"Oh?"

"You see" she passes the pages, until she reaches one with another map. "These lands here are La Vallière's territory" she points at the place in the left of the pointed line; "and my family's lands are here, on the other side. Long story short, we're neighbors, but you know how families holding territories on the border tend to be."

"Huh…"

"For centuries, La Vallière has been holding out Tristain's borders from Germanian attacks, more specifically, my family's attacks."

"So you're constantly at war with each other?"

"At the moment, no, and it's actually been a long time from the last attack against Tristain. Almost thirty years."

"That's not very long ago though…"

"Maybe it's like that where you're from" Kirche says with a small smile. "But the antagonism of our families does not only stem from this. La Vallières are still very sour over the fact one of their brides was stolen away by my great-great-grandfather."

"Your great-great-grandfather?"

"Yes, but it was not his fault she had needs a Vallière could never hope to satisfy" she laughs loudly at this while Sachiko's face turns bright red. "Though in all honesty, even if our families weren't enemies, I would still dislike that little guy, as I'm sure he would dislike me too."

"Why don't you get along?"

"Our personalities clash" another smile paints her face; "and I'm pretty sure he's still sour that I stole his first kiss. Oh, the satisfaction!"

"Y-You… you stole his f-first…" Sachiko is surprised. Because of his personality, she had thought Louis' first kiss was with her. The thought irritates her a little. At least if she had managed to steal his first kiss then him stealing hers wouldn't have been that big of a deal. "Why? Do you like him?"

Kirche stops laughing. Her face turns completely red. "N-No! H-How could I like a shrimp like him?! I am only interested in strong men, and that small twig is anything but strong! I just kissed him to annoy him, that's all!" she yells, standing up. Sachiko backs away a little.

"Ok, ok, you don't like him…" she says in a conciliatory tone. Kirche pouts and sits again, crossing her arms. "But you used to like him, no?" she glares at her. Sachiko laughs; "sorry."

"I really don't. He's not worthy of my love, that annoying brat…"

"I understand" she just finds it interesting. So even a guy like Louis can get a girl to like him. She glances down, letting out a sigh, when something catches her eye.

On Flame's tail, barely standing out, she can see some letters. She gets closer, careful not to disturb the salamander. Flame only looks at her, slightly raising its head before going back to sleep. She touches its tail and passes her fingers across the inscription. Like her own runes, Flame's feel as if they're part of its skin.

"Kirche the Ardent" Kirche suddenly says. Sachiko looks up to her. "My runic name. That's what the runes say."

"Why your name?" she asks, glancing back at the runes. Kirche shrugs, going to sit next to her.

"Because Flame is my familiar, so naturally the brand runes mark him as mine."

"Is the same with me?" she asks, looking at her left hand. Her runes look different from Flame's. Hers are straight and tall, while Flame's are soft and curvy, like the letters in Louis' books.

Kirche purses her lips. "No, yours are…" she grabs her hand, examining them; "I'm not sure, but I think yours are written in ancient runes. I don't know what they say though. I've never been good with languages."

"Oh…" so they are in a different language. She bites her lips, a sudden thought crossing her mind. "Say, Kirche, why does the familiar need to be branded with runes?"

"Why you say…" she blinks and looks down, as if this is the first time she has ever wondered about this. "Well, first off, the runes mark the familiar as a belonging of the master, but they are like… a connection between the two. Like, what the runes do is more or less bond by magic a master and his familiar. Maybe like a symbiotic relationship…"

"Symbiotic?"

"Yes, you see, the familiar helps its master and makes him company and the master takes care of the familiar. But now that you mention it, I've never really stopped to think what exactly the runes do…"

Sachiko looks at her hand again. A belonging huh. Does that mean she is propriety? The thought doesn't sit well with her. Kirche catches her expression. She quickly pats her on the head and with a soft voice, whispers.

"You don't have to worry about anything. The runes do bind a master and familiar, but isn't the final word always with the familiar? I mean, sure, I marked Flame as mine, but I would also like to think he's with me because he likes me, not only because he has to."

"Does it really work like that?" she asks in a low, somewhat melancholic voice. Kirche sighs.

"I don't know. I told you, I never thought about this deeply, but see" she raises a finger, a mischievous smile pulling at the corners of her lips; "if a master mistreats his familiar, let's say, a dragon, do you think the dragon will just put up with it out of good faith?"

"I don't know…"

"I'll tell you then: it won't. Most familiars stay with their masters because it's usually easier being taken care of than go out in the wild and procure for themselves. It's the symbiotic relationship I told you about. Besides, dragons and other high magical beasts tend to be more intelligent, so that means they should be able to choose if they want to stay with their masters or not. You're a human, so with more reason you should be able to choose what you want."

"Um…" Sachiko thinks a little about what Kirche said. It doesn't convince her, as the way she talks about this sounds like a naive ideal layered over a reality she doesn't see. While it's true she chose for herself to stay with Louis in the meantime, there's something about this whole thing that makes her feel very uncomfortable. As if there's something biting at the rear of her mind.

Kirche looks at her with a sad expression. "If you're not convinced, I can talk to Tabitha so as to have a better idea of how the runes work. She loves to read, so she should know something about this."

"Tabitha?"

"Ah, she's a friend of mine. You should have seen her. She's a small girl with short blue hair and glasses. She always sits on the front."

Sachiko thinks for a second, before remembering the little girl. She caught her attention because of her hair color. She's the only one in class, or maybe even the academy, with blue hair. "It's her hair natural?"

"You mean the blue color?" Sachiko nods; "of course it is. I know it's very rare, but there are some people who have them like that. It's just a bit more common in Gallia though."

"Is she from Gallia?"

"I'm pretty sure she's tristainian. I never asked though" she says in a pensive tone. She shakes her head and smiles at Sachiko. "So, what if we finally eat those cookies I offered you ages ago?"

Sachiko smiles and nods. She decides to leave the thinking for later.

* * *

The second person however, is a lot more unexpected than Kirche.

"What is this?" she asks, taking a step back in distrust. Because from all the things she would have expected Guiche to do, this didn't even graced her mind.

He's standing in front of her, a bright blush on his face and a bouquet of flowers in hand. Red roses, to be more precise. He offers them to her while turning his face away in a false act of reluctance. "It's my way of congratulating you for defeating me. I hope you feel honored…"

"I don't want them" she cuts him off before he can say anything else. In a swift motion, she turns around and begins to walk off. But Guiche won't take no for an answer.

"Hey, you should be grateful! I'm actually acknowledging your strength!"

Sachiko stops, turning to look at him with a glare. "Excuse me? I should be grateful? You almost killed me and you think a bouquet will suffice as an apology?"

"I am not apologizing!" he interrupts her, his face getting redder. "There's nothing I should apologize for!"

"So the fact you led me into a three-day coma it's no reason to apologize?"

"It was a duel, and I did what I had to! I won't say sorry because you wanted to meet your end sooner for your stubbornness!"

"Take back your roses, I don't want anything that comes from you" she snaps lowly, this time not looking back. She has more important things to do, like washing the clothes in the basket she has in her hands. Before she can get far, something is thrown at her back. The impact sends her forward and Louis' clothes end up scattered on the floor. She quickly turns, ready to murder him. "You little…"

"See? It's because of this you almost died!" he yells before she can get a word out. Her mouth remains open, not quite believing what she just heard.

"I hope you are not being serious."

"You should just have apologized" he repeats, getting closer. Sachiko doesn't move. Guiche kneels and picks up the bouquet he threw at her, before presenting it to her again. "If you had done that, then you wouldn't have ended up as injured as you did. But your stubbornness almost sent you to your grave. And yet…" he sighs, putting down the bouquet when she doesn't grab it; "you kept standing, you weren't deterred no matter how many times you were kicked around or hit. That in itself is amazing, and for that, I want to show my respect" he looks at her seriously. Again, he raises the bouquet. Sachiko stares at it for a long while.

He's not asking for forgiveness. He's not regretful or ashamed of his actions. But he's still here, supposedly showing her his respect. She bites her lips. Her hands reach for the bouquet, but before she touches it, she stops. "What is it that you want with this?"

"Pardon me?"

"What do you want?" she asks, her eyes looking up to him, narrowing in a silent threat. "Is there a reason you want to show me your 'respect'? What are you planning?"

To her annoyance, Guiche sighs and shakes his head. "There are no hidden intentions behind my actions. What you see is what it is."

"You are pretty smooth with words" she comments sourly, remembering when he so casually flirted with Katie while he was seeing Montmorency. Guiche purses his lips.

"I've been told that… But I'm sincere now. I… I think you're kind of great, for a commoner…"

"Don't call me a commoner."

"And because of that…" he ignores her snappish command. Sachiko is not amused. "I thought that it wouldn't be so bad if we two… can get on better terms…"

Sachiko swallows. She hopes he's not implying what she thinks he's implying. "Do you mean like…?"

"You have won the right of becoming my friend" he declares, puffing out his chest. Sachiko sighs in relief. So he was only talking about that. But then she frowns.

"That's a right I think I can live without."

"Again, this is the kind of attitude that almost got you killed."

"Just what are you talking about? What kind of attitude?"

"Your stubbornness" he repeats, making her growl. She raises a hand, ready to slap him again, but he quickly catches it in midair; "once is enough, thank you."

"Not if you're still talking" she tries to get her hand out of his grip. He lets her go easily.

"You should think things through a little more. When your head cools down, you can think better about my proposal, but in the meantime, you shouldn't reject things simply because you're not in the mood. Emotions are very bad advisers; I think the phrase goes like that…"

"Talks the one who challenged a girl to a duel simply because she slapped him…"

"I was going to let the matter go, until your emotions got the better of you. Of course I couldn't let go of a slight like that without an apology" he responds easily. Sachiko clicks her tongue.

"Whatever, take your stinky roses with you. I'm not accepting them or your supposed 'friendship'."

"Very well, I'm glad you're going to consider it" he shoves the bouquet in her hands and turns away. Sachiko is left momentarily stunned at his presumptuousness, despite her telling him very clearly she wanted nothing to do with him, until she remembers he succeeded in making her accept the bouquet.

"That son of a…!" she raises the bouquet, about to throw it to the ground, but stops midway. "Well, I guess the roses are not at fault…" she says, looking at them. The first time a guy has ever given her a bouquet and it had to be Guiche. But they're nice and smell good and it would be a shame throwing them away just like that. It's not because she's considering forgiving him or even less become his friend.

She lets out a sigh and puts down her arm, before turning around. She almost forgot the clothes are on the floor. The bastard didn't even help her pick them up. _He'd absolutely make a fantastic friend_ she thinks with sarcasm before collecting the clothes in the basket.

* * *

Once dinner is over and Louis' finally lets Sachiko free, she goes directly to the kitchens.

"Our sword has arrived!"

The first one to greet her is Marteau. He's the head-chef, a rounded man well in his forties. Serving as a chef, he's naturally a commoner himself, but because of his high position in an academy for mages, he earns as much as a lower class noble. Despite this, he's not the less bit arrogant. He dresses in nice but simple clothes, and surprisingly enough, dislikes both nobles and magic.

He nicknamed her 'our sword' because she defeated Guiche with one, and he's the one who makes sure she gets treated like a queen every time she comes by. Sachiko sits in a chair he pulls out for her, and kisses his cheeks as greeting, like Marteau asked her to do. Even though Sachiko finds it weird, she thinks is the least she can do for this man who always treats her so nicely.

"I think you're really going to like today's dish" Shiro says, depositing a bowl with stew and soft white bread in front of her. Sachiko shyly thanks him, and he smiles. "It's extra special today."

Curious since this afternoon, Sachiko quickly spoons some and lifts it to her mouth. When she tastes it, her eyes open wide. "It's delicious!" she exclaims. Shiro chuckles softly while Marteau is a little louder.

"Well, of course. That stew is the same stuff we serve to the noble kids" the man explains.

Sachiko gasps. "So they really get to eat this every day?" _Where is the humble meal, really?_

Marteau snorts when he hears her comment. "Bah, sure, they can use magic. Constructing castles from boulders and producing precious gems and whatnot, but you know what I think? I think creating such exquisite dishes like this is a kind of magic itself. Wouldn't you agree Sachiko?"

"Absolutely" she nods her head for emphasis, swallowing down more of the stew.

Marteau heavily passes an arm around her shoulders, which almost makes Sachiko choke on the food. "You're a really nice girl! If my son weren't married, I would make sure you form part of my family right away!"

"Ah, yes, what a pity…"

"Let me place a kiss on your forehead, our sword! Come on! I insist!"

"I-If you want…" her face is glowing red by this point. But she likes the attention; she can't deny that, even if sometimes she feels it's a little overwhelming.

She looks over her shoulder again and finds Shiro looking at her. He smiles softly and Sachiko's pulse accelerates. Well, maybe she's being a bit manipulative by doing everything Marteau says as if that's going to make Shiro think she's a good girl. Every time she comes here, she notices the girls' stares on Shiro, and it's no wonder. He's not only incredibly attractive, he's also very nice and kind and mature. She wishes she could talk to him more, but they're always surrounded by other people, so it's difficult to do so. _And even when we're alone, he quickly leaves, like today with the shirt…_ she thinks with an inner sigh.

"Now then, our sword" Marteau speaks again. Sachiko reluctantly tears her eyes from Shiro and looks at him. "Are you finally going to give in and tell us your secret?"

Sachiko's smile falters a little, but she manages to maintain it in place. Every time she comes here, Marteau always asks the same thing:

"Where did you learn to use a sword? Tell me so I can learn to swing a sword like that too!"

And every time, Sachiko would answer:

"I don't know. I've never held a sword before. My body just moved on its own."

"Did you hear that guys?" he yells, his voice echoing around the kitchen. He is talking to the young cooks and apprentices, who are looking at the scene, or rather at Sachiko, with soft eyes.

"We hear you, boss!" they yell back.

"This is what they call a true master! They never boast about their skill! Look and learn! A true master never boasts!"

The cooks chant happily; "a true master never boasts!"

"You know, our sword" he holds her shoulders again, his face too close for comfort; "I'm starting to like you more and more! What about it?"

"What about what?" Sachiko can't help but feel guilty. Even if he's a little weird, Marteau is a good man, and she feels bad when he thinks she's just being humble when in reality she's saying the truth. She feels like she's taking advantage of the man's trust. She looks down at her runes. _Since that time, they had not glow again. I'm certain it's because of them I won, but I don't know how…_

"Shiro!" Marteau suddenly calls, surprising her.

"Yes?" he answers with a nice smile. Sachiko wishes he would come closer.

"Bring our hero here some of Albion's finest" he instructs. Shiro obeys immediately, leaving Sachiko wondering what he means by 'Albion's finest'.

She doesn't have to wonder much more when Shiro comes back with a bottle of wine. "Oh, this is…" she begins to say. Shiro takes a glass and begins to pour. "Ah, I don't really drink wine… or alcohol, to be honest…"

"Just a glass will be fine, no?" Shiro hands her the wine glass. Sachiko's still not too sure. Her mother would kill her if she knows she's drinking wine, but Shiro erases any coherent thought from her mind when he leans down, whispering in her ear; "if you don't, Marteau will insist anyway, and you'll end up drinking more than just one glass. I assure you it's tasty" he winks at her as he separates. Now, he could have just ask her to drink one glass, or two, or the whole bottle, Sachiko thinks she would have done anything he told her if he looked at her the way he is now.

With trembling hands, she lifts the glass and brings it to her mouth.

* * *

The wine is really tasty, despite being a bit sour. Sachiko likes it a lot, and she drinks more than just one glass. She holds herself back, as she still has to wake up early the next day, but for some reason the bottle is empty before she realizes it.

"Shiro, you should accompany her to her room. She doesn't seem to be used to alcohol" she hears Marteau saying. She would protest, because she's not drunk like he's implying and she can perfectly find her way back on her own, but she doesn't, because that means she can spend some time alone with Shiro and she's been waiting for that chance for ages.

"Ok, Miss Sachiko, let's go" Shiro helps her up, and guides her outside. She leans a little more than she should against him, inhaling the scent from his skin.

"You smell good" she comments shyly. Shiro blinks, before glancing down at her.

"Oh, do I?"

"Yes, it's nice…"

"Well, thanks, I guess."

She takes the opportunity to look him up and down. He's not wearing his long-tailed coat anymore, since the working hours are officially over, neither his gloves nor the tie. He wears a black vest over a white shirt. The sleeves are rolled up to his elbows. Sachiko thinks he looks really manly like this.

"You look really manly like this, you know."

"Miss Sachiko" he chuckles; and she thinks he might be embarrassed. That's really cute. "You are really drunk now, aren't you?"

She shakes her head. "I'm alright."

"Of course you are" he says it as if she's a little girl and he's only going along with whatever she's saying. She doesn't like that.

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Are you interested in me?" he avoids all the awkward talking and just jumps to the subject he thinks Sachiko is interested in. It's difficult to say if her blush is because of his question or the wine.

She pouts, and with a cute little gesture traces a finger on his arm, where she is leaning; "maybe…"

"Don't you want to take some fresh air? It might do you some good" Sachiko puffs her cheeks. He thinks she's saying things she doesn't mean. She's going to protest, but thinks better and decides to follow him outside. After all, like that, they can spend a little more of time together.

When they arrive at the courtyard Sachiko releases Shiro. She walks a little forward, looking up at the sky. The two gigantic moons, bigger than Earth's moon could ever be, shine brightly, illuminating everything in this clear night. It feels strange, watching this alien sky, these moons with pale colors that occupy a big chunk of the firmament, almost swallowing up the stars around them.

She raises one arm and attempts to touch them, as if to make sure they are real. She knows they are, as well as she knows no matter how much she reaches she will never catch them. From all the things in this world, the magic, the magical beasts, the lack of electricity, this is the thing that more often reminds her she is no longer on Earth. It reminds her cruelly that she's not home, and she won't be for who knows how much longer. The thought makes tears come to her eyes.

Shiro approaches her. "It's a nice night, isn't it?" he can't see the tears in her eyes. She quickly dries them and nods. Shiro doesn't need to know about her sadness.

"It is."

"Where I come from" he begins, and Sachiko perks her ears; "you can see more stars than in here. Well, my village, Tarbes is its name; it's in a mountainous area, so we are closer to the sky."

"Is it far from here?"

"About two days on horse" that sounds like a lot. Sachiko tries to convert that in miles, when Shiro asks something she doesn't know how to answer; "and you Miss Sachiko? Where are you from?"

She doesn't answer. She hasn't talk with Louis about it, but she feels she shouldn't tell just anybody she comes from a different world. Nobody would believe her anyway. She has serious doubts Louis believes her in any case.

"Miss Sachiko?"

"It's far from here" she thinks that if she's vague he won't ask many questions, and it'll be easier for her too. After all, she knows next to nothing of this world.

"You mean you're not from Tristain" she nods; "which country?"

She gulps. Well, maybe if she says the truth, but just part of it… "Japan."

"Oh" Shiro nods. Sachiko looks at him with a frown. What is it that he understood by that? "What you mean is that you're not from Halkeginia, right?"

"That's right, I'm not from Halkeginia."

"Wow" his eyes widen. There seems to be amazement in them. "This is the first time I met anyone who's not from here."

 _You don't begin to make yourself an idea…_ She turns to look at Shiro. "Can we talk about something else? This is…"

"Oh, sure" he smiles. He understood without her saying that she doesn't want to talk about her home. She smiles back. There's a crisp breeze softly blowing in the courtyard, moving her hair and giving her skin little goose-bumps. Their eyes are locked, and Sachiko feels her pulse getting faster. _Maybe…_ she hesitantly takes a step forward. Shiro notices this. "The shirt…" he begins, but clears his throat when his voice comes out a little bit husky. "I'll have it ready tomorrow. I didn't have time tonight and…"

"It's alright" she smiles, placing a hand over his heart. She's pleased to feel it beating fast; "I just hung the other clothes. Tomorrow they should be dry."

"Just in time then" they smile at each other. Sachiko has never before gotten so close to a guy, and she would be lying if she says she isn't nervous, but there's a small thrill in this, enhanced by the alcohol in her veins, and she thinks she could even… "Are you better now?"

"Um?"

"You look better" he steps back, leaving Sachiko with a hand in the air. She looks at him with a blink of the eyes. "Mr. Vallière will wonder what is taking you so long. We should go."

 _Who cares about Louis?_ She wants to say, but somewhere inside she knows she can't. There's the sting of rejection in her chest that prevents her from doing so, and the small courage she drew from somewhere unknown is slowly dimming out like a light. So instead, she looks down and gives him a small nod. _Should have known he wouldn't be interested…_

"Miss Sachiko" Shiro calls. She blinks, and realizes with embarrassment he's a few meters away, while she stayed behind like an idiot. She quickly runs up to him.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what…"

"It's actually me who should be sorry" he interrupts. Sachiko frowns, stopping in front of him. He smiles. "Do you think you can go back on your own?"

"On my own?" great, it's getting better. Now he doesn't even want to accompany her to Louis' door. She sighs with resignation. "I think I can" if he doesn't want her around she won't force her presence upon him. She isn't looking at him, bummed up as she is, so it takes her by surprise when he leans down and softly kisses her on the forehead. Her head snaps up. He's glancing to the other side, and it's a little dark, but she thinks she can see a little of color on his cheeks.

"Good night then" he says and bolts away, quickly disappearing from her sight. Sachiko is left behind with her mouth open and her heart beating incredibly fast.

A second later she's on her knees, giggling like crazy and so very happy to be alive.

* * *

"What happened to you?" Louis asks when Sachiko comes back to the room. She gives him a bright smile, walking up to her mattress.

"I wonder…" she says in a singsong voice. Louis frowns, looking at her until she practically throws herself on the mattress, covering herself with the blanket and rolling from one side to the other.

"You're scary" he says with a disgusted expression. Sachiko doesn't mind. "Well, it was about time you came back. I have something I want to tell you."

"Oh?" she sits up, still hugging the blanket around her body.

"Is that the only set of clothes you have?"

"Em, yes…" she looks down at herself. When she was summoned she was coming back from her part-time work, so she wasn't glamorously dressed or anything; just a simple white shirt, a pair of shorts, black stockings and blue tennis. And of course her white and blue parka, because it was February and the weather was a bit chilly.

"I hope you wash them every day" Louis says, wrinkling up his nose. Sachiko frowns, her good humor disappearing at his words.

"I washed my shirt and stockings two days ago. The shorts, parka and tennis can wait a little longer."

"And you go around like that?" now Louis sounds disgusted. Sachiko huffs.

"Hey, you're the only one who has to change clothes thrice a day! I tell you, that's not healthy!"

"Compared to wearing the same clothes every day without washing them…"

"I do wash them! You don't need to do it every single day."

"Please, tell me you at least wash your underwear" he pleads while backing away a little. Sachiko's face fires up.

"Y-You pervert! You don't need to know that!" she yells, standing up. Louis frowns.

"Who are you calling a pervert? I'm just making sure you don't have a completely unhygienic life!"

"Would you go asking a girl if she washes her underwear?" Louis raises an eyebrow. Sachiko rolls her eyes. "I forgot I'm not a girl for you, my mistake."

"Well, whatever, that's not what I wanted to say" he shakes his head and looks at her again; "tomorrow is the day of void, are you aware of that?"

"No."

"…"

"No master, I did not know that. Actually, what is the day of void?"

"It's a free day, in other words, there are no classes tomorrow" Sachiko nods; _so this world also has Sundays_ ; "so I was thinking, since I always see you wearing the same clothes and, like I already said, that's completely unhygienic" Sachiko narrows her eyes, but Louis ignores her; "I decided we'll go shopping tomorrow. You need something else to change to."

One second Sachiko is glaring at him, but the next her jaw is falling open. "Are you serious?"

"Yes" he answers matter-of-factly. "I can't let you continue like this, it makes my eyes hurt. We'll go to the capital tomorrow and buy you new clothes, underwear too, since it seems you need it."

"…"

"Or would you rather I don't buy you any underwear?"

"No, I do need more" she confesses with a small blush. "And I'm surprised you would do this. I thought you were such a miser, since you didn't even want to get a room for me in the servants' quarters."

"Who told you that?" Sachiko purses her lips and shakes her head. "Tch, it doesn't matter. And I'm not stingy. I told you, I can't let a familiar get used to luxuries. I don't see a reason to get a room for you since every other familiar sleep with their masters."

"So getting me a room would be like acknowledging you see me as a girl?" she asks while crossing her arms. Louis huffs.

"Never. Stop changing subjects. Tomorrow we'll go to Tristania to buy you clothes, so we should go to bed early" he stands up and crosses his arms. Sachiko knows that means he wants to get ready for bed, so she goes to the wardrobe and takes out his sleeping robe. As she helps him get off his clothes, a sudden thought occurs to her.

"Hey, Louis…"

"Master, you mean" he corrects in a stern tone. Sachiko rolls her eyes.

"Master, if you're going to buy me clothes… could you also get me a sword?"

"Huh?" he looks at her once she's finished helping him get ready for bed. His expression denotes confusion. "Why do you want a sword?"

"Um, just in case, you know, for protection, when I go out to look for a way home…"

"Don't you have one already?"

"How would I? The one I used during the duel was Guiche's."

"Um, right…" he looks at her, thinking. After a while, he finally nods; "alright, I'll get you a sword too. Since you seem to be quite adept at wielding a sword, maybe you're not so useless after all."

"I'm not useless, haven't I've been doing everything you told me until now?"

"You're a familiar, that's your job" he goes to sit on his bed. Sachiko sighs, deciding not to say anything back just this time. She bites her lips, and remains thinking about what he just said. Looking at her runes she decides to confide in him. After all, he's the one who put them on her.

"Hey, master, there's something I want to tell you."

"What is it?" Sachiko quickly explains what happened during her duel with Guiche, and how the runes helped her win. Louis crosses his arms and looks at her attentively.

"…And I was wondering if it has anything to do with this" she raises her left hand and shows him the runes. Louis bites his lips, humming in thought.

"So, you're saying you've never held a sword before…"

"Never."

"But when you touched Guiche's sword, you suddenly knew how to use it like an expert."

"That's right."

"Strange…" he taps his chin and looks up. Sachiko waits for his opinion. "I heard familiars get special powers when the contract is made."

"Special powers?"

"Yes, like when a black cat becomes a familiar, it can get the ability to speak."

"But I'm human."

"I know" he practically growls. It's so easy to get this guy angry, Sachiko thinks with a sigh. "The thing is, a human as a familiar is completely unheard of, so it's not impossible you can just pick up a sword and use it like a natural."

"So I won this ability because I'm your familiar?" she's surprised. Who thought something good could come out of this whole situation.

Louis puffs out his chest, suddenly taking a haughty disposition. "You won that ability thanks to my power, you mean."

"Your zero power, you mean…" she whispers under her breath.

"Did you say something?"

"Just that it's incredible" she glances at her runes again. _I didn't just use it like a natural. My body felt light and fast like a feather. Besides, Guiche's statues were made of bronze. There's no way you can cut into metal that easily, no matter how skilled a swordsman you are._

"Well, in any case, we should keep quiet about this."

"Why?"

"They… would be interested. They'll want to do research."

"They?"

"The Tristain Academia" Sachiko frowns. Louis rolls his eyes. "It's the Royal Court's magic research agency."

"Ah. And what would they do to me for research?"

"Many kinds of experiments… they might begin with an autopsy."

"You're kidding" she reels back on instinct. Louis shrugs.

"If you understand, then don't go around telling people about this."

"I got it, I'll keep quiet."

"Good" he stretches and yaws. Sachiko thinks the gesture is kinda cute. "That's enough talk for one night. Let's go to sleep now. Is two hours in horse to Tristania, so we have to save energy" and with that he buries himself under the blankets and snaps his fingers.

Sachiko remains in place for a few seconds, before crawling to her mattress. _Two hours on horseback, that's insane…_ again, she looks at her runes; _so an acquired ability thanks to the contract. Well, that explains it a little, but still…_

 _To think that stingy Louis would actually buy me a sword… and underwear;_ she blushes. _Thanks to this thing, I won against Guiche, got the head of chefs to adore me like a goddess, and got Louis to buy me a sword. What else are they going to do for me?_

She's tired, and she doesn't want to keep thinking about this. Maybe tomorrow, for now, she only wants to close her eyes and rest for the remaining of the night.

* * *

 **A/N: This is the first and only time you're going to hear about the runes until much later.**

 **Kirche is not honest. Guiche is doing what he wants. Sachiko is much more homesick than Saito ever was and Louis is a bit of a neat freak. We finally understand why Saito was always washing Louise's underwear. And I'm excited to get Sachiko new clothes. Aren't you excited?**

 **Tsukumogami: any object that has reached their 100th birthday and thus become alive and self-aware; according to wikipedia. In case you have not already looked it up.**


	7. Chapter 6: A Sword for the Familiar

**.**

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 6: A Sword for the Legendary Familiar**

 **...**

"So crowded; why is the street so narrow?" Sachiko complains as she strokes her butt. Louis wasn't joking, not that she ever expected him to make a joke. It literally was two hours on horseback. For Sachiko, who has never mount a horse before, those two hours felt like complete torture. Her crotch certainly didn't appreciate the ride either. She has to walk with her legs slightly apart, earning curious and some censuring gazes from other people.

Louis snorts, looking at her from over his shoulder with an irritated look. "Can you stop complaining? You've been doing nothing else since we left the academy."

He doesn't look tired or worn out at all. It baffles Sachiko. She wonders if he's used to riding horses. "Well, it is crowded, and the street is narrow. Why do people put their stands here if you can't even walk in a straight line?"

Tristania, Tristain's capital, looks very much like one of those lovely towns from fairytales. There aren't very tall buildings around, much of the constructions are houses painted in white and with steep roofs covered with a variety of multicolor tiles. Flowers and other cute plants frame the windows and doors, and the street is covered with white cobblestone. If Sachiko didn't know it was real, she would have thought she had wounded up in Disney World.

She can even see a palace, which gleams under the sunlight with a majestic air, directly in front of her leaning over the city on top of a hill.

There are a lot of people too. Louis explained it was like this because of the day of void. Compared to the academy, there are more people wearing common garb. Sachiko can't see any nobles. At least she thinks she doesn't. Everyone around them look humble and cheerful, contrary to the air of arrogance and haughtiness Sachiko is used to see in the academy's students.

"Bourdonné Street is the widest avenue on Tristain. I don't know why you're complaining so much. And stop walking like that; you're giving people the wrong idea!"

"This is the widest avenue?!" he must be joking. The street can't be more than five meters wide.

"It is. Look, the palace is just ahead" he points at the hill and Sachiko looks up even though she already saw it.

"To the palace, then!"

"What business do we have visiting her majesty the queen?"

"What business? I want to ask her to increase my portion of food" she answers seriously. To her surprise, Louis laughs. She had kind of intended for it to be a joke, but knowing Louis personality; she didn't think it would work. He has a nice smile. It illuminates the whole street and his laugh carries in the wind like a bell, strong but kind, and joyous. Sachiko can't help but burst out; "you're laughing! So you can actually laugh!"

This, however, ends Louis' laugh in a flat second. "What do you mean by that? Of course I can laugh" he crosses his arms and frowns. Sachiko is more disappointed that she can't see his smile anymore to hear him complain, and so says:

"Oh, you're frowning again. I guess it was too good to last…"

"You want me to hit you?"

But no matter what Louis says or does after that, Sachiko finds that thanks to his smile, her mood has improved a lot. With it, her natural curiosity rises, and she looks at the shops and stands with the enthusiasm of a little girl. People come and go, talking or shouting and selling things. Close by she passes a greengrocery. Vegetables are the same than in her world. She momentarily wonders if besides the moons and magic there's something else that's completely different from Earth in here. Humans look the same, animals, not including magical beasts, too, as well as the plants and flowers and even the constructions. There are some weird names she has never heard before, but others like Louis and Shiro belong to her world.

She's staring at a frog floating inside a jar on a trader's mat when Louis loses his patience and drags her from the ear. "Stop getting distracted! You're taking care of the wallet, aren't you?"

"Ouch, yes, I am!" he releases her. "Anyway, I don't know how anyone could steal this thing from me with how heavy it is. I would notice it right away" Louis' 'wallet' is just a leather bag full of coins. She's hiding it inside her parka.

"Using magic, something like that can be easily accomplished."

"Magic? Why would a noble want to steal?" she looks around; "isn't everyone here commoners?"

"Of course they are; nobles make up only ten percent of the population, and there's no way they will walk around slums like these."

"Then why are you so worried?"

"All nobles are mages, but not all mages are nobles. Some abandon their families, or are disowned. There are those who are born out of wedlock. They usually don't have much choice but to resort to stealing or becoming mercenaries… hey, are you listening?!"

She's not. Sachiko is too busy staring at a performer playing the flute to listen to him. Louis grabs her ear again and this time doesn't let go, no matter how much she protests.

The women's clothes shop is in a small lateral street. A sign in the shape of a dress is hanging over the door. Every single shop they pass has signs, but not a single word.

"Hey, tell me Louis, why is there only signs? There's nothing written on them."

"I told you to call me master, and there's nothing written on them because most commoners cannot read, so it makes things easier. Now, go and buy yourself something nice. Nothing too expensive, alright? I'll be back in half an hour" Louis tells her as he turns around to leave. Sachiko grabs his arm, stopping him.

"Wait, are you going to leave me on my own?"

"Yes" he answers as if it's obvious, taking his arm away from her grip with a frown. "It's not proper for a man to enter this kind of store."

"Why not? It's only clothes…"

"This is the lingerie store" he says blankly, pointing at the sign. Sachiko looks up. It still looks very much like a dress to her. "There are no windows so men won't pry."

"That's a bit excessive."

"Now then, go and buy yourself something. After that we'll buy you clothes and _then_ we'll go get you a sword."

"Why don't you just accompany me?"

"Do you want me to choose what underwear you wear?" he asks, folding his arms. Sachiko blushes.

"N-No! I just don't know how to treat with shopkeepers here!"

"Haven't you treated with them in your world?"

"Yes, but…"

"Then you should know what to do. I'll come get you in half an hour" and before she can get another word out, he turns around and leaves. Sachiko lets out a sigh, looking at the shop apprehensively. She shakes her head and goes in.

* * *

"Are you crazy?! How could you have spent so much money in underwear?!"

"This is the reason I told you to accompany me. The shopkeeper surely tricked me!"

"What trick?" he grabs the paper bag from her hands and takes out a pair of pink, frilly panties. "You went well out of your way to buy panties, so you clearly got what you paid for!" he waves the panties around. Sachiko chokes.

"Stop doing that! Do you want to look like a pervert?!"

Louis stops, and blushes when he realizes what he's doing. He quickly puts the panties back in the bag. "Why panties? Couldn't you have bought something less expensive?"

"But everything else was ugly…" when given options, Sachiko was shown numerous types of underwear she didn't even know exist. Petticoats, camisoles, corsets and pantalets, made for those she was more or less familiar with, but she wasn't about to buy them when there were other more modern options for her. It was also her opportunity to finally buy something she liked. Usually when she goes out with her mother she's stuck with simple white or childish underwear. She couldn't resist the cute designs of some panties, and so bought six, so with the one she's wearing she has one for every day. Bras were nowhere in sight, so she guesses they don't exist in this world, and so had to be satisfied with a bustier, the only thing that would hold her breasts and wasn't as elaborate as a corset.

"Why should I care if they're ugly? It's my money you spent in this!" Sachiko puffs her cheeks. She crosses her arms and looks away.

"It's still your fault! How do you expect me to know what's supposed to be expensive and what cheap? I just bought what I was more comfortable with!"

"Still…!" he can't say anything against that, but he feels the pain in his wallet and it's not a good feeling.

"Do you want me to return them?" Sachiko finally asks with a sigh. She guesses since he's the one buying her clothes, she might as well abide by his wishes just this time. Louis thinks for a second, looking at the bag in his hands, before shaking his head.

"We'll just lose more time, besides, you already bought it and I hope you won't need more for a long time. Next time however you better pay more attention!"

"Alright" she's happy she doesn't have to be stuck with petticoats and corsets, though she still doesn't understand why panties are supposedly more expensive. Louis sighs, hands her the bag and guides her to the next store. He goes in this time, and chooses a few common-looking dresses he urges her to try on. They're simple, made of cotton and of a single color. The most elaborate one has short puffed sleeves and a ribbon tied under the line of her breasts. The simplest is long-sleeved and reaches her knees. "I don't like dresses" she confesses, pulling at the hem of the dress with pursed lips.

"Shut up. You don't have the right to choose anymore" and with that he buys them and they leave the shop, Sachiko holding the bags with a pout.

"Say, Lo-master, how do you know so much about dresses and underwear?" she asks after he tells her they're going to buy her sword. Louis frowns.

"What do you mean?"

"You know where the shops are, and that panties are expensive…"

"I know they're expensive because you half-emptied my wallet" he says snappishly; "and the shop we passed by is one I used to accompany my sister to when I was a child."

"Do you have a sister?"

"I have two older sisters."

"What are their names?" she asks with curiosity.

"Eleonore and Cattleya."

"Do you have any brothers?"

"No, I'm the only man apart from my father."

"What about cousins?"

"Sachiko" he says with a sigh; "can we just go to the armory, buy a sword and get this over with? I want to go back to the academy before lunch."

"O-Ok, sorry…" she just wanted to know more about him. It just strikes her now that she knows nothing about Louis, even though they live together, and even though he's her master. And she's naturally curious. She wishes to know him better.

After crossing many streets, each narrower and darker than the last, they arrive at a small alleyway. A revolting stench, coming from the garbage accumulated on one side, makes Sachiko pinch her nose.

"This place is disgusting."

"Yes, but we're almost there… here it is!" he points at a simple door. Over the door there's a sign in the shape of a sword. They climb the few steps to the entrance and Louis opens the door. A small bell rings over their heads. Even though it's sunny and warm outside, inside it's a bit dark and damp. A man in his fifties sits at the counter. He watches them enter with a bored look and a lighted pipe, but his expression changes immediately when he sees the pentagram of nobility on Louis' uniform.

He removes his pipe and stands up. "M' lord, there is nothing criminal here! All of my wares are real and reasonably priced…"

"Relax, today I come as a customer" the shop is filled with swords from top to bottom. There's a detailed suit of armor in a corner. Sachiko stares with awe, touching and examining everything while letting out cries of amazement. Louis ignores her. "I want to buy a sword for my familiar" he gestures towards Sachiko. The shopkeeper looks at her with curiosity, but if he finds anything weird with a girl being a familiar, he wisely doesn't mention it.

"A woman carrying a sword, that's a bit unexpected" Louis glares, and the man shrinks. "I-If you allow me to make a suggestion, I think something like this will suit her perfectly" he searches on the shelves and comes up with a rapier. He hands it to Sachiko. It is exquisitely made. The handle is embedded with jewels and it's easy to hold, however…

"It's a little thin" she comments. Louis nods.

"Actually, I had something in mind already. A simple longsword, about one mail long… nothing too heavy" Sachiko used a sword similar to the one he just described at her duel with Guiche.

The shopkeeper looks at Sachiko again. "M' lord, sorry for the bluntness, but for a woman to…"

"I said" Louis repeats more slowly. He's using his commanding tone; the same that gives Sachiko nightmares. The shopkeeper gulps, doing his best not to break in a cold sweat; "a simple longsword, one mail long."

"Y-Yes, at once, m' lord" the man runs to the back of his shop. Louis looks very pleased with himself, but Sachiko only glares at him.

"You don't need to scare him like that."

"If I don't show my authority, he's going to take advantage of us. This is the way you have to treat this kind of people, if you want them to do what you say."

"Even like that…"

The shopkeeper comes back. He has another sword in his hands, which he is polishing with an oiled rag. "I think this one will fit m' lord's expectations" it's a longsword of a meter long just like Louis asked. The handle is short and has a hand guard. It is exquisitely decorated, and when Sachiko takes it in hand, she finds it's very light too.

She swings it a few times. "So, how does it feel?" Louis asks.

"Is fine I guess" she examines it with furrowed brows. "But I think it looks a bit fragile, don't you think?"

"Well, now that you mention it…"

"Would m' lord like to see other options?" the shopkeeper asks while nervously playing with his hands. Louis ponders for a second. He looks at Sachiko.

"How would you feel about wielding something bigger?"

"Bigger? In what sense?" Sachiko leaves the sword on the counter, eyeing Louis curiously.

"Instead of a longsword, what about a broadsword?"

At this, the shopkeeper can't help but intervene. "M' lord, a sword so big for a girl like her might end up hurting her. Even this kind of sword it's a bit of a-" but he cuts himself off when Louis' eyes fall heavily on him.

"If it's too much or not, Sachiko will be the one to decide. After all, she has to use something she feels both comfortable and safe with. Bring us a broadsword."

"A-At once…" he grabs the smaller sword and goes back to the rear of the shop. After a few seconds, he brings another sword. This one is a bit more than a meter in length. It's even more exquisitely decorated than the last. The handle, made for wielding with two hands, is embedded with jewels, and the sharp edge gleams spectacularly under the light of the gas lamp.

Sachiko is in awe. She approaches unconsciously and touches the sword.

"Careful, you have to use both hands" the shopkeeper instructs her. Sachiko nods, and with the excitement of a child opening a birthday present, lifts it. She carefully swings it, trying to get used to the weight, which, surprisingly for a sword this big, is not much.

Louis leans against the counter, watching her. "Is that sword ok with you?" he asks after a while.

"Eh? Ah, yes, I have no problem wielding it…" she says, placing it back on the counter. Louis nods.

"Alright then, we'll take this one."

"F-Fantastic!"

"How much is it?"

"Ah, for this sword… two-thousand écu should be enough."

"Great, then two-thousand… wait!" Louis stamps his hands on the counter, his eyes wide in shock. "Isn't two-thousand a little high for a broadsword?"

"For any broadsword, probably, but not for this one. See this mark here?" the man points at the base of the blade, where some strange letters are engraved, "this sword was made by the famous germanian alchemist Lord Spee. It'll cut through iron like butter thanks to the magic infused in it" he explains proudly. "I think two-thousand is a fairly reasonable price for a sword like this."

"Even so…" he looks at Sachiko. She blinks.

"So it means you can't buy it?"

"Even if I could, I wouldn't spend so much money in a sword for you, no matter who made it."

"Huh, in the end you are as stingy as I thought."

"Let's not forget I'm at red numbers after someone got severely injured and made me buy something very expensive so she would get better. Not to mention that same person goes around buying expensive lingerie without my permission" he retorts acidly. The shopkeeper's eyes widen, but he quickly shakes his head. It's not his business what a mage does with his familiar.

Sachiko pouts after hearing this. "Ok, I get it. You can't buy it…" she sighs, glancing at the sword longingly. In that moment, a somewhat metallic voice is heard.

"Don't be so arrogant kid. I bet you've never even been near a sword before. A stick would suit you better!" the voice sounds offended, and Sachiko promptly feels the same way.

"Hey! Who said that? You don't need to be so mean!" she looks around, trying to find the person who insulted her, but finds no one in the shop except for the three of them. The voice snorts then.

"Not only arrogant but also blind! I'm here kiddo, can't you see?"

"What?" Sachiko stops her eyes on a mountain of swords. Is the voice coming from there?

"Argh, Derf, shut up already! You're disrupting my clients!" the shopkeeper yells. He jumps from the counter and walks towards the lump of swords. With great effort he picks up one from the top: a broadsword the same length as the one Sachiko wants. Louis and Sachiko look shocked.

"A sentient, intelligent sword!" Louis exclaims. Sachiko feels even more surprised after hearing this, and eyes the sword with fascination.

"Exactly, I'm the legendary sword Derflinger! You better don't forget!" it says with a haughty tone. The shopkeeper starts to drag it to the rear of the shop.

"That's enough! You're always talking back to my clients. Today I'm really going to melt you!"

"Let's see you try, old man!"

"Wait!" Sachiko yells; stopping the man and surprising everyone in the shop. "Wouldn't it be a shame, melting a sword that can talk?" she asks, still looking at the sword with wide eyes. It's very rusty, so she can't say if it's well-made or not, and it's just a bit narrower than the other broadsword. Still, seeing how much the shopkeeper is struggling to carry it, it's probably way heavier.

Derflinger is silent for a few seconds, before finally whispering:

"I see, so you're a user…"

"Huh?" Sachiko asks, tilting her head to the side with an innocent expression.

"Hmm, you're still not aware of your own power. Well, anyway, buy me partner!" Derflinger says. Sachiko smiles.

"Ok, I'll buy you!"

"W-wait! Sachiko, you really want to take that sword?" Louis asks with astonishment.

"Well, yeah, it's interesting, don't you think?"

"That's not the point. That thing looks really heavy; I don't think you would even be able to lift–" but he instantly shuts up, his eyes going wide as much as the shopkeeper's at seeing Sachiko take Derflinger with just one hand, and lift it above her head as if it weights nothing at all.

Sachiko chuckles. "I'm not that weak, you know. By the way, my name is Hiraga Sachiko" she introduces herself. Louis keeps looking at her with his mouth open, before finally shaking his head and turning to the shopkeeper.

"How much?"

"Eh? Ah, one-hundred should be fine."

"Isn't that a little cheap for a broadsword?" not that he's complaining, but one-hundred sounds almost like he's simply giving them the sword for free. The man clicks his tongue.

"Compared to how many clients this thing has made me lose, I think it's actually good enough" and with that, they buy Derflinger and leave the shop. Because the sword is too long for Sachiko to wear at her side, she straps it to her back, and happily walks alongside Louis.

"I still can't believe we bought it. What's so special about this sword, anyway?" Louis asks, looking astonished at Sachiko just carrying Derflinger without showing any apparent effort.

"Are you kidding? It can talk! Don't you think that's incredible?"

"I guess…" he sighs, "and now it's almost midday, even though I wanted to go back to the academy for lunch…"

"I'm sorry" she says, mostly just to say something. Louis shrugs.

"Guess we can't do much about that. Do you want to eat something since we're here?" Sachiko's face lights up instantly.

"Eat? You mean you're going to invite me?" her voice sounds cheerful. She's even hopping a little.

"Well, I don't think _you_ could invite me" he says, finding her excitement a bit cu-whatever. Sachiko smiles and nods, accepting his invitation. Louis looks away, wondering what that slip of the mind was.

* * *

"I don't know how useful this thing can be" Louis says, looking at Sachiko's sword; "considering how rusty and old it is."

"Don't say that. I'm sure I can do something with it" Sachiko responds, balancing her weight as she lunges Derflinger forward.

"You two…" Derflinger says; "you realize I can hear everything you say, don't you?"

"Ah, yes, sorry" Sachiko blushes. Louis huffs and crosses his arms.

"I'm just saying the truth. I mean, look at you! As soon as you hit something you'll break! Really, the only thing you're good for is practicing" like they were doing right in that moment. After coming back from Tristania, Louis urged Sachiko to show him her acquired skills. They are in Vestri Court, and he's observing her as she attempts to swing Derflinger with some degree of skill. She's not very good at it. Although she can hold Derflinger alright with one hand, she still needs to use both if she wants to move with it without losing her balance.

"Talks the one without magic!" Derflinger retorts mockingly. Louis gasps and glares at Sachiko.

"When did you have the time to tell that thing?!"

"Partner didn't need to tell me anything! I can feel it wafting off you!"

"What are you talking about?!"

"Alright, alright" Sachiko says before the fight can escalate. She never thought she'd have to do this someday, stop a fight between a mage and a sword. "We're here to practice, aren't we? Do you have any idea how I should go about this? Because I feel like I'm just swinging Derflinger around without doing anything useful" the runes in her hand aren't glowing. She thought that, after what Louis told her, they would once she held a sword, but that's not the case. It didn't happen even with the other swords back in Tristania.

"Well…" luckily Louis looks calmer. He approaches her. "In the first place, you're not holding it right" he rearranges her hands so she has a tighter grip in the handhold. "Raise it slowly" he helps her, draping her hands with his and accompanying her movements. Sachiko blushes, her pulse quickening. This is so… "And then swing it."

He shows her a few moves, though Sachiko is a little more concentrated in the way she can feel his warm breath against her neck. She tries to focus, and after a few minutes of this, he finally releases her and steps back to see how she does it on her own.

"How do you know what to do?" Sachiko asks after he corrects one of her postures.

"I used to practice before coming to the academy."

"Are you a swordsman then?" her eyes widen with curiosity. Louis shrugs.

"I guess you can say that."

"How long have you been practicing?"

"Practically since I can remember" he sighs. "This won't do. Despite what you did in the duel with Guiche right now you look nothing more but a beginner. If you want to know how to wield a sword you'll need practice."

"Oh…" she puts down Derflinger; "will you teach me?" she asks with hope, even though she knows what his answer is going to be.

"I don't have time. When we go to my house this summer…"

"Mr. Vallière" they turn around. A young woman draped in a dark blue robe is standing behind them. She has a pretty face, her long hair fashioned in a high ponytail and a pair of thin glasses over her petite nose. Sachiko doesn't remember seeing her before. "Headmaster Old Osmond wants to see you."

"Me?" he asks with surprise, but his body is already moving. The woman nods.

"Yes, you and your familiar" she looks at Sachiko. Sachiko is even more surprised than Louis at this. They look at each other, before nodding and following the woman inside the main tower. They go up an amazingly long flight of stairs. After being all morning in Tristania and then training, Sachiko feels her sides hurt at the continuous effort, but Louis looks just fine. She wonders if it's thanks to the training he claims to have. "Old Osmond, I brought Mr. Vallière and his familiar" the woman announces after knocking on the door. The voice of a man tells them to enter.

The office is wide. There are many bookshelves placed against the walls, and a sumptuous desk in front of a large window, extending from the floor to the ceiling and showing an impressive sight of the academy below. An old man with a long white beard is sitting behind the desk, his hands joined in front of him resting on its surface. Standing next to him is a teacher, Mr. Colbert.

"Thanks for bringing them. You can retire now Miss Longueville" the woman nods and leaves the office, closing the door behind her. The old man looks at them. "Now then, you'd be wondering the reason I call you here."

"Y-Yes…" Louis looks nervous, almost as if he's expecting something bad to happen.

"Oh, you don't need to be so nervous. I assure you I didn't call you here to expel you Mr. Vallière" the old man says jokingly. By the way Louis swallows and answers with a weak laugh, Sachiko knows that's exactly what he was afraid of. "It has to do with your familiar, actually."

At this, both Louis and Sachiko stiffen. They frown, their eyes travelling from each other to the headmaster. "My… familiar?" Louis asks. Osmond nods.

Mr. Colbert steps forward, a grin on his face. "A week ago your familiar dueled with Mr. Gramont, didn't she?"

"Yes…" he looks at them thoughtfully. Sachiko wishes to know what he's thinking because his fists suddenly close tightly at his sides, the knuckles becoming white; "she did. You know that."

"I've been investigating since the summoning" Mr. Colbert continues, not noticing Louis' eyes narrowing; "although it was mostly confirmed during the duel, I had to take a few more days to analyze my notes. Old Osmond and I have reached a conclusion about your familiar."

There's a silence between them, as if they're waiting for Louis and Sachiko to ask. They don't. Sachiko simply looks at the three men in the room, not sure of what's going on, and Louis waits. Mr. Colbert clears his throat.

"We reached the conclusion that Mr. Vallière's familiar is the legendary Gandálfr."

"What?" Louis' voice cuts through the office like a knife. Sachiko is surprised. What do they mean with legendary?

"The runes, the being able to defeat a noble with just a sword, it all matches!" Mr. Colbert sounds very excited. He quickly approaches Sachiko and grabs her left hand. "Look at them! Although I had my doubts the first time I saw them, I can only say she is Gandálfr now. You see; t-"

"Mr. Colbert" Old Osmond calls, standing up; "you're making the poor girl uncomfortable" he says. Mr. Colbert quickly looks at Sachiko. Her face is red, and her body is leaning away from him, as if she doesn't like him touching her. The man releases her immediately.

"Ah, I'm sorry…"

"Going back to what Mr. Colbert was saying" Old Osmond steps in front of them, his hands behind his back; "we have reasons to believe your familiar is Gandálfr."

"B-But… how? I mean, this was never, and that would mean… What proof do you have?"

"Just like Mr. Colbert said, the runes and the sword-wielding" he gestures at Mr. Colbert, who nods and goes to retrieve something from the desk. It's a book, which he shows to Louis as he explains.

"We don't know much about Gandálfr, except for the fact it was one of the many familiars the Founder had and that it was able to use any weapon with expertise. He was able to hold out armies and like that buy the time necessary for the Founder to cast his long spells."

"Yes, I know that" Louis looks at the book, the image of what scholars could come up with as being the runes of the legendary familiar after years, maybe centuries of investigation. He looks at Sachiko's hand and then back at the book. Sachiko covers her hand protectively.

"Excuse me, but I don't understand what's going on" she says in a small voice. They're acting in a way that's making her really nervous. "What do you mean I'm a legendary familiar?"

They look at her. Louis bites his lips. "Remember when you told me you could use Guiche's sword like an expert, even though you've never held a sword before?"

"Yes, that was yesterday."

"This might be the reason… you won that ability thanks to the runes, and the runes because…"

"You put them on her" Old Osmond finishes for him. Louis nods. "You're aware of the implications of this?"

"We're not sure, are we? There's no proof…" Louis tries to say.

"Exactly, there's no proof except for your familiar. You have never even been able to cast a spell correctly, for what I've been told" Louis' jaw tightens, but he doesn't say anything; "so it's very uncanny, how a mage like you was able to summon Gandálfr, or why from all creatures in Halkeginia, it is a human who is Gandálfr. We decided to tell you this information because it deeply pertains you and your familiar, so you may do of this what you will, but it goes without saying that you shouldn't tell anyone else about this."

"Of course" Louis says firmly. Sachiko feels lost. All she could gather from this conversation is that she's supposedly a legendary familiar, thanks to Louis, but the air in the office is tense, and she thinks this might not be such a good thing if all three of them look so serious and somber.

She opens her mouth again. "I want to say something."

"Oh, of course, Miss…" Old Osmond squints in thought.

"Sachiko, my name is Hiraga Sachiko."

"That's an odd name."

"I want to know what this means for me. I don't know anything about Gandálfr or legendary familiars, but I wish to know if this is going to have a negative effect on me."

"You don't know about Gandálfr?" Mr. Colbert asks with surprise. "That's quite curious. The legend is very well known throughout Halkeginia. One could say it's almost more known than the void."

"Ehm, well…"

"Sachiko is not from this world" Louis says for her. Sachiko snaps her head towards him. To say something like that without her permission, no, to even bring this up is a little…

Old Osmond and Mr. Colbert exchange a glance. They look at Louis trying to find out if he's lying or not. He looks very serious. It seems he did believe her after all. Then they look at Sachiko for confirmation. She bites her lips. If Louis told them, and they're talking about this legendary familiar stuff, she thinks this might be an opportunity to ask them for help to find a way back to her world. So she nods with all the determination she can muster.

Old Osmond scratches his beard, before letting out a sigh. "It seems we have quite a lot to talk about. We should get comfortable then" he gestures to a pair of couches on one side of the office. The two kids nod. Louis stands close to Sachiko, suddenly seeming reluctant to get away from her. For some reason this makes Sachiko feel unsure about the situation.

* * *

 **A/N: I've been so excited to get to this part. From here on, things are slowly but surely going to get very different from the original novel. Why didn't I start sooner? Because I wanted Sachiko to get Derflinger first, and because, believe it or not, the duel scene is a pretty important part of what I have in mind.**

 **Quick note: in this universe the legend of the void and Gandálfr is very well-known, that four users will be born from Brimir's line and thus the void will revive and they'll get back the Holy Lands, but only that. Not the whole implications and nothing about other familiars. And it stays like that: just a legend, not something that could ever be real.**


	8. Chapter 7: More than Magic

**.**

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 7: More than Magic**

 **...**

"Thank you for your time" Louis says as they exit the headmaster's office. He closes the double doors softly, his eyes turned down and his brow furrowed, deep in thought.

The conversation after he revealed Sachiko's real birthplace didn't advance much after that. Sachiko explained what she already told Louis, and asked them if there was a way they could help in searching for a way to her world. They gave her mixed answers. Mr. Colbert showed enthusiasm, telling her that he would start investigating immediately, but Old Osmond wasn't that optimist.

"A world different from ours… that's something completely unheard of."

"I've already heard someone saying something like that."

"Is there proof?"

"Why would I be lying?"

"Mm…" Old Osmond reclined on the couch, his fingers pensively brushing his beard. "From my end, I think that if no one has ever heard of a different world, then even if you investigate, I doubt you'll find anything to help you go back."

"You mean trying is useless?" Sachiko had asked, her eyes glazing over, but Old Osmond quickly shook his head.

"I'm not saying that. Although it's true your search will likely end in a dead end, there's no reason for you not to try. Nothing is written in stone. If you came to this world, there might be a way to go back" his eyes shifted towards Louis, who unconsciously straightened under his stare; "the answer might lay with Mr. Vallière. After all, he's the one who summoned you, no?"

"Um…" Sachiko looked at him, before returning her eyes to her feet.

"But even if you stay here, you shouldn't worry too much. You will get used to life as time goes by. Maybe you can even find a husband by then."

"That's not what I'm worried about…"

Sachiko was silent and sullen after the conversation, barely listening when they began talking about the void, explaining why her being Gandálfr was so important. Most of what they said were known, expected things, but they needed to fill Sachiko in with the details, so Louis hopes she at least managed to listen to what they were saying. He looks at her. Her eyes are downcast, her expression unreadable except for the slight frown between her brows.

He clears his throat to get her attention. "So… how are you now?"

She blinks, her mouth opening slightly as if she's surprised he's even asking. She looks at him for a long second that makes him fidget nervously. Her eyes are not accusing, but they certainly feel so.

"Fine, I think… shouldn't you ask that to yourself first?"

"Huh? Why?" now he's the one surprised. She shrugs.

"This has more to do with you, no? What with the void being a legendary power and all…"

He sees where she's coming from. And while it's true it's something he has to think deeply about, he was asking more about what she feels now that she, more or less, knows the reason she's here. Although even he can't quite grasp it yet. The void is, after all, a lost power. Many believe it to be a mere legend, only scholars and theologians from Romalia still claiming it really existed. He's not entirely convinced himself. Old Osmond and Mr. Colbert are very well-known scholars, so there's no reason to believe they would claim something like this without truly believing it to be possible.

And yet, a part of him strongly denies the possibility. After all, as much as it pains him to admit, he's Louis the Zero. Never once has he'd been able to cast a spell, every single one of them turning into an explosion. He can do simple things, like lock and unlock doors and turn on and off the lights, but anything more complicated, like levitation, is a lost cause. Sometimes he wonders the reason for this. His parents are really powerful mages, his two sisters are very adept in magic too. And then there's him, useless, incapable Louis.

He knows what people at court think of him, he knows many high nobles wonder as to why his father keeps bothering with him instead of simply disowning him. He could do that. Nobody would condemn him for that. After all, without magic Louis is only a noble in name, just barely above a commoner, if not less. But his father doesn't do that, nor does his mother. They might be strict, but they always tell him how important it is to stand for himself and not show weakness to those who jeer at him. Even when it's hopeless, they still have faith in him, and that weights on him more than if they simply gave up once and for all.

So the question arises. Does he possess the void? _No._ It's the only answer his mind can come up with. Someone like him can't have the void. There is no proof, no indication in his past he can cling to and say it all makes sense now. Nothing except for explosion after explosion…

And Sachiko. Summoning her is the only magical thing he has been able to successfully achieve in his life. But why a human? Why Sachiko?

"Louis" her voice interrupts his thoughts. He looks at her and she jumps for some reason; "I mean, master" he hasn't even notice she has called him by his name, and why is she looking at him as if he's going to murder her in cold blood? Late he realizes he's scowling, and that must look intimidating to her. He quickly eases his expression.

"I'm fine" he lies, because his head is in turmoil, but he doesn't feel like telling her that. "We should go back to my room. Soon it's going to be dinner time and I want to change."

He sees when she rolls her eyes just when he's turning around. In any other occasion he would have reprimanded her, but now he isn't in the mood. They are reaching the staircase when she talks again.

"Is it alright if I stay a little more in the courtyard? I want to keep practicing" she points at Derflinger, strapped at her back. Louis stops, looking at her with a frown.

"How would you do that? You don't even know how to hold it correctly."

"Now I do, you taught me."

"It's not enough. You need a teacher" he crosses his arms and purses his lips in thought. Even though she is Gandálfr, she needs someone to teach her how to wield a sword. It's a little ironic, because as far as the legends go, Gandálfr shouldn't need to be teach something like that. _Maybe she isn't Gandálfr_. Then what about the runes? And the duel with Guiche? There are many things that don't match up here. He needs time to think about everything, but now he doesn't feel in the right state of mind to do so. Regardless, he cannot let her stay like this. "If you wait, I can start teaching you tomorrow, for now though, we should rest."

He turns around and begins to descend the stairs, but it's not long before he realizes Sachiko is not following him. He looks up and sees her on top of the staircase. She hasn't moved a bit.

"Sachiko?"

"Why?" she asks at the same time as him. He frowns, goes to take a step back up.

"Why what?"

"Why now? Why are you going to teach me now, when just an hour ago you said you couldn't?"

"Excuse me?" he decides to stay still, looking at her without understanding. Sachiko shakes her head.

"You said you don't have the time to teach me how to read or wield a sword, but now, suddenly, you can. Why? Why now, that they've told you I'm a legendary familiar?"

He understands immediately. He quickly shakes his head. "No, it's not like that, just…"

"Just what?" her voice is getting louder. She's frowning, and after another second of silence finally approaches him. "When it's just plain Sachiko you couldn't care less, but then when it's Gandálfr you're all willing to give up some of your precious time to teach me?" her tone is accusatory.

Louis doesn't know what to say. He didn't mean for his words to have that meaning. He wasn't really thinking when he offered. "No… it's not that, I just think that if you want to learn how to use a sword, then someone must…"

"But you didn't think that before" she interrupts, stopping one step above him; "before Osmond's secretary came for us, you were saying you didn't have time, so excuse me if I misunderstood, but how do you want me to think anything else when, after our conversation, you change your mind and decide you can teach me after all?"

"It has nothing to do with Gandálfr! We don't even know if it's true or not!"

"Don't try to change subjects!" Sachiko practically shouts. Her fists are balled at her sides and she's trembling. It looks as if she's about to cry; "I don't need you to start treating me with deference only because now I'm the cool familiar you wanted! Don't forget you promised to investigate for a way back to my world! Have you investigated at all this week?"

"T-That doesn't have to do with anything…" he looks away, his face flushing; "Cool familiar or not, I was anyway going to…"

"You didn't answer" she says before he can avoid the question. Louis closes his mouth in a tight line.

"I didn't have time. This week has been…"

"You couldn't even do that" Sachiko's voice does no longer sound angry, just tired. She sighs. "I don't want you to teach me how to use a sword, and I don't want to learn how to read from you."

"Sachiko" his voice has gotten lower. He doesn't like the way she's starting to talk to him.

Sachiko snorts. "Don't look angry! You know everything I said is true!"

"How do you want me not to be angry when you're saying a lie like this?"

"But it's true!"

"No, it's not! You can't say I'm treating you with deference now just because it turns out you _could_ be Gandálfr! Not when I've been doing so much more for you!" Sachiko's eyes widen in disbelief.

"Like what?!"

"I let you eat with the servants and I got you a mattress!"

"Only because I asked!"

"And I bought you clothes and the stupid useless sword you wanted! I even let you keep the panties!"

"You didn't do that for me! You did that because you're a neat freak who couldn't stand seeing me wearing the same clothes every day!"

"Isn't it the same?!"

"Ugh!" she's about to pull at her hair. She quickly starts to leave, wanting to get some distance from him. "Whatever, if you don't want to understand, that's your problem! I'll leave you alone now!"

"Hey! We're not finished!" he follows her with heavy steps. Sachiko hastens her pace.

"Don't follow me!"

"Then don't run away!"

"You and I have nothing to talk about!"

"You're acting like a child! Come back here so we can solve this like adults!"

"If you want to solve things, then apologize!" she turns around and confronts him with a stern expression, but because of her sudden halt Louis doesn't have the time to slow down and collides against her. He quickly holds Sachiko before she can fall down the stairs.

"What are you doing?!"

She pushes him away from her, and this time is Louis who falls, luckily on one of the steps instead of down the stairs. He glares at her from his sitting position, but falters when he realizes she's crying. "Sachiko…"

"I don't care about you or your power or that I'm some stupid legendary familiar!" she yells before he even knows what's happening; "I just want to go home! I don't want to be your servant anymore! And I want you to stop treating me like I'm insignificant just because I'm not what you wanted!" and with that she runs away, her hands on her face covering her tears.

A few minutes later, Louis is still trying to decipher what exactly happened.

* * *

"You have a gift for drama" Derflinger comments. Sachiko sniffs loudly.

"It's easy for you to say, you've only been here a few hours."

"But that was some discussion you two had there. Is it always like this?"

"No, we don't usually talk to each other…"

"Why were you angry again?"

"Because he's acting like a hypocrite!" she yells; her anger resurfacing. "If he doesn't have time to teach me how to read, it's fine, I get it, but I won't let myself get fooled when all of a sudden he decides he wants to teach me how to use a sword, right after they told him I'm Gandálfr or whatever is it called!"

"You said it right, it's Gandálfr, and maybe you're being a little too sensitive?"

"Whose side are you in?" she asks snappishly.

"I'll always be on partner's side, but leaving that aside, isn't it obvious he would want to train you now that he knows you're Gandálfr? I mean, before that, what reason did he have to teach you?"

"I asked him."

"And? It's not like you knowing how to wield a sword could be useful for him, or reading if we go by that logic. As his familiar there are a number of things you are expected to do, and if he thinks using a sword and reading are not what he needs from you, then he won't teach you how to do neither."

"So, after knowing I am Gandálfr, he decided that me using a sword is important and thus he wants to teach me now."

"Exactly."

"That's stupid, and I thought you were on my side."

"I am, but it doesn't hurt looking at things from both sides, no?"

"Mm…" Sachiko ponders Derflinger's words. From that point of view, it makes sense, but just because it makes sense it doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. She doesn't like that her life is being conditioned by Louis' needs. She is a familiar, but she's still a person, and Louis denying her the right to read or use a sword unless he deems it necessary is also denying her condition as a human being. And she doesn't like that.

 _I wish they didn't tell us anything._ Because now she's even more afraid Louis is not going to investigate and she'd been condemned to spend the rest of her life in this world as his familiar.

"By the way partner, where are we going?" Derflinger's voice cuts off her thoughts. She blinks.

"What do you mean?"

"You've been walking in circles for the last ten minutes."

She looks around. She's in a place she doesn't recognize. A low curse escapes her lips. She'd been so angry she didn't notice where her feet were taking her.

"Alright, don't despair. Look at your surroundings. Stone walls, tapestries, not a window. Am I still in the tower? I don't remember descending any more stairs. Ugh…" she continues walking, expecting to find another flight of stairs. She doubts she's on ground level, but it's difficult to say so when there's not even a stupid window so she can see it herself. After five minutes and passing the same tapestry with the image of a lion roaring, she's starting to become anxious.

And then she finds a window. "Oh, thank goodness! Now I…!"

"Miss Familiar?" an unfamiliar voice says. She freezes before turning around slowly. Behind her, Osmond's secretary is looking at her with wide eyes. She's in front of a large double door made of iron. The doors are shut with an enormous padlock. "What are you doing here?"

"Um, I got loss…" she approaches her shyly, still looking at the big door with awe. "It's so big…"

The secretary, Miss Longueville is her name, Sachiko remembers, looks at the door and then back at her. She gives her a teasing smile. "Are you impressed?"

"Is there something important here?" she asks, eyeing the padlock. She extends a hand to touch it, but as expected, she cannot reach it. Miss Longueville nods.

"This is the treasury of the academy. You said you were lost…"

"Treasury?" Sachiko dismisses the woman's last sentence, her eyes shining at this new piece of information. "I didn't know the academy had a treasury. What kind of treasures are inside?"

"Magical treasures" Miss Longueville turns to look at the door as well, hands behind her back. "I actually wanted to catalog the contents of the treasury, but I realized I can't enter without the key."

"Who has the key?"

"Old Osmond, but I didn't want to interrupt his meeting with Mr. Vallière."

"The meeting is over; you can ask him for the key now."

Miss Longueville shakes her head. "I'll do it later. It's almost dinner time, and this is something I should do when I have plenty of time. There are a lot of items inside, so it'll probably take me a day or more to go through each one."

"That sounds like tough work" Sachiko looks at the door again. She touches it. "It feels so sturdy, it must be impossible to enter without the key."

"The door is reinforced with magic, so yes, it would take an extraordinarily powerful mage to break through. On the other hand, with so many mages here any person who wants to break in would have a difficult time from the beginning."

"So nobody would even try" Miss Longueville smiles and nods.

"Changing subjects, didn't you say you were lost?"

"Ah, that's right! I was descending the staircase but then I got caught in some thoughts and before I knew it I didn't know where I was standing anymore."

"We're directly below the headmaster's office. If you want I can show you the way out."

"I would be really thankful!" Sachiko smiles and happily follows Miss Longueville. The staircase is just around a corner, and she feels a little dumb she hasn't seen it before. "So… you're Old Osmond's secretary?" she asks as they walk, just to make conversation. The woman smiles.

"Yes, I am."

"What kind of work do you do?"

"Nothing really exciting, just write and read letters and reports, run errands, deliver messages, but I also take care of Old Osmond and his health."

"How long have you been working for him?"

"I just started this new term, so I'm new here just like you" Sachiko gives a small laugh, shaking her head.

"We are quite different. You are a secretary and a noble, while I'm a familiar and a commoner, so our work must differ a lot" not mentioning she's here on her own will, unlike her.

Miss Longueville laughs as well. "Oh, I may be a mage, but I'm not a noble, so we might have more in common than you think."

"You're not a noble?" Sachiko's eyes open wide. She remembers what Louis told her this morning. _'All nobles are mages, but not all mages are nobles'._ She wants to know why she isn't a noble, and if she ever was, what happened for her to stop being one, but she knows better than to simply ask a person she had just met something so personal, so she smiles and says; "you're right, we might."

"And talking about things in common" she stops and looks at her. There's a cunning glint in her eyes Sachiko doesn't know how to interpret; "between us, what did Old Osmond want to discuss with Mr. Vallière?"

"Eh?"

"Oh, I'm just curious, you don't need to make that expression. You see, Old Osmond usually doesn't call students to his office, less asks that their familiar accompanies them, so I was just wondering if it's something important, that's all."

"Important… I don't know what could be considered important…" and she really doesn't. True, they might have discussed about the void and Gandálfr, but even after all the explanations they gave her, she still can't really understand much about it. Besides, it's not something she should talk about with anybody. That at least was very explicit during the conversation.

Miss Longueville sighs, turning around again, but she doesn't advance. "Well, I imagined that, but I'll tell you a little secret: the other day, I heard Osmond and Mr. Colbert talking about a legendary familiar…" Sachiko stiffens. She doesn't move or say anything, waiting. "And then he calls you and Mr. Vallière to his office. I don't know you, but doesn't that look suspicious to you?"

"No. No it doesn't" she's quick to shake her head and deny it. Miss Longueville chuckles.

"Why do you have a sword?" the change of topic disconcerts Sachiko for a second.

"My master bought it for me."

"Why?"

"Because I asked him."

"Do you know how to use it?"

"A little…" she doesn't like where the conversation is going. Miss Longueville leans towards her, a mischievous expression adorning her face.

"Enough to defeat a mage on a duel?" Sachiko swallows, but she nods again. "It's cute how much you're trying to deny it when we both know exactly what I'm implying."

"D-Don't tell anybody" she finally succumbs and pleads. The woman tilts her head to the side, feigning confusion.

"Tell what?"

"You know what" she puffs her cheeks. Miss Longueville laughs.

"Without a confirmation there's not much I can tell, or is it, Miss Gandálfr?" Sachiko chokes with her own saliva. She coughs as Miss Longueville laughs. "Oh, so I was right after all. But don't worry, your secret is safe with me" she winks.

"Louis' secret…"

"Not to offend you, but I doubt that boy holds any power" her tone changes to one of boredom. For some reason Sachiko feels irritated. "But just you see I plan to keep my promise and don't tell anybody, I'll tell you a secret of my own" this sparks Sachiko's curiosity. Miss Longueville leans closer and so does Sachiko, so she can whisper in her ear; "I won't be working in the academy for much longer."

"No?" she shakes her head.

"Let's just say, I was offered a better deal, but there's still one thing I have to do before leaving this place, and I plan to do it no matter the cost" her face gets serious. "And you can help me with that."

"Me?"

"Yes. When I catalog the items in the treasury, I want you to help me. Can you do that?"

"Is that the thing you want to do no matter what?" Sachiko asks, confused. It might be fun seeing the treasures the academy holds, but cataloguing each and every single one of them, when she said it would take her a day or more, doesn't sound like something really worth staying for.

Miss Longueville nods, still serious. "Will you?"

Sachiko thinks for a second. Well, it doesn't sound like something very difficult, and she's curious to see what's on the other side of that enormous door. She finally nods. Miss Longueville beams.

"Perfect! Then, we should get going. Dinner is about to start" Sachiko gasps.

"Really?!"

"Yes, how much time do you think you've been wandering around here? Come on, we can eat together."

"I usually eat with the servants."

"Do you think I can join you?"

"Um, well…" she isn't a noble, so it might not be a problem, and if she introduces her to Marteau as an acquaintance then… "Why do you want to eat with me?"

Miss Longueville shrugs, looking at the front. From there, Sachiko can't see her smirking as she says; "no reason, I just want to know more about you. We're friends no?"

"Friends…" everybody seems to want to be friends with her these days. Sachiko sighs, before letting out a small laugh. "Sure, why not."

"I was hoping you would say that."

* * *

Sachiko doesn't appear at dinner. Louis stabs the steak in his plate mercilessly, because he has to take out his anger on something and none of his classmates are acceptable targets. No one talks to him during meals, but he can feel a few eyes on him, and their whispers don't go unheard either. _Let them talk, they always talk about you anyway_.

"I think the steak had enough Louis" a condescending voice says from his right. He doesn't raise his eyes from the steak, attacking it over and over, now with more force.

"Why are you talking to me, Zerbst?" the redhead beauty shrugs, though he doesn't see it as he's still completely concentrated in his assassination task. Rolling her eyes, Kirche does something reckless and grabs the wrist of the hand that's holding the knife, while with the other she takes it away from him. "Hey! Give it back!"

"So you can keep murdering the poor steak?" Louis huffs and crosses his arms. Kirche raises an eyebrow. "What's happening to you? I mean, you're always in an awful mood but tonight you look horribly worse than usual."

"Go back to your seat and leave me alone."

"I've already finished my meal, and if you look around, you'll realize almost everyone is done too" reluctantly, Louis does so. He's surprised to see she's right. "Finish already so the servants can clear the table."

"I don't have to do what you tell me" regardless, he grabs a fork and starts eating, not needing the knife as the meat is already cut to pieces after his frenzy. Kirche sighs.

"Where is Sachiko? She's usually behind you at meals, but today she wasn't here."

"No, really? If you didn't tell me I would have never noticed!" Kirche bonks him on the head. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?!"

"You don't make fun of a woman, and I was asking a simple question."

"I don't know where she is, and honestly I don't care!" he takes another piece of meat to his mouth. He doesn't notice that he's pouting, but Kirche does, and it makes her raise an eyebrow in bewilderment.

"What did you do to her?"

"Get lost."

"Guiche was also wondering, but he was too scared of you to ask."

"Serves him right" he swallows; "and why do you want to know? Why Guiche wants to know?"

"I don't know about him, but Sachiko is my friend, and it worries me that she's not here."

"Your friend?" he snorts; "yeah right."

"It's the truth, you can ask her" she says with a frown. Louis shrugs, showing her he doesn't care whether it's true or not, and this time she's the one pouting. "Tomorrow is the Ball of Frigg" she says in a small voice, almost as if she doesn't want him to hear. Louis looks away, foreseeing the reason she brought this up.

"Is that so? I almost forgot" he comments casually.

"Do you have a partner?"

"No, I won't go" he says, wanting to cut off the conversation before it gets too uncomfortable. Kirche huffs.

"Do you have to be so antisocial? It's just a ball, it won't kill you to go."

Louis smiles, knowing this is her attempt at dismissing his negative. "But balls are boring and nothing interesting ever happens. Well…" he puts down his fork and taps his lips with a finger; "the welcoming ball for new students last year was certainly unforgivable, wasn't it?"

Kirche's face becomes bright red, the reaction he was expecting from her. Her eyes narrows and she does her best to dismiss his words. "How would you know? Your stupid admirers covered your eyes the entire time."

"I didn't need to look while it happened, just the end result was enough" he tells her and gives her a cocky grin. She blushes even more if that's possible, and Louis can't help a feeling of superiority knowing the only reason she's embarrassed is because _he_ is bringing it up. Anyone else she would ignore or cast a spell on, but only he could say something like this and not only get away with it, but also make her react like that, something he's sure none of the guys she usually hangs out with is able to.

She huffs and stands up. It seems she decided to leave with her head up while she still has the chance. "Whatever, better if you don't go, you'll only ruin the ball with your broodiness like you do everything else."

"If that's what you want to think…" she lifts her chin and walks off. She reunites with Tabitha at the door. She comments something to the blue-haired girl, who looks at him for a second before nodding and following Kirche. Girls are strange creatures. He knows Kirche is not the norm for most girls, as he's used to hanging out with females more than he is with males, but there's a difference between being with a girl who thinks nothing of you and one who is clearly still in love with you no matter how much she tries to deny it. He does appreciate her, even if he can't stand her most of the time, but he just wishes she would get over him already.

He shakes his head, not wanting to think about his relationship with Kirche, complicated as it is, though it's certainly not the most complicated he has. He tends to get in very difficult situations with girls, and not all romantic. His sister Eleonore is an example, and then Henrietta, although he still has doubts what exactly they were. Montmorency is another thing entirely, and Sachiko…

He thrusts the fork into a piece of meat, the anger that was forgotten while he talked with Kirche appearing again. He doesn't get it. He doesn't get _her_. What is it that she wants from him? Where did he fail to make her feel like he wronged her so? He gives her far more than what any other familiar gets, he cares for her and still she has the nerve to tell him he doesn't.

How is he supposed to treat her? He thought he was being a good master overall, buying her clothes, letting her eat with the servants, humoring her when she wanted that stupid rusty sword. He has not raise a hand to her a single time since that day before she got on a duel with Guiche. He asks practically nothing from her, and then she gets angry for no reason.

 _What if I want to teach you because you're Gandálfr?_ He never denied her the right to read or write, or even how to use a sword, but he has priorities, and she should understand that. _Although she is right about me not investigating…_ But it's not because he doesn't want to. He just doesn't know where to start. Honestly, even after he told the headmaster and Mr. Colbert that she is not from this world, he can't help but doubt, but at the same time, he doesn't see a reason for her to lie, and he has seen with his own eyes that she truly doesn't know anything of this world.

He sighs, finishing with his meal and standing up. He should go find her and talk to her. He looks around, realizing he is the last one in the dining hall apart from the servants. In the distance he sees a familiar figure and approaches him.

"Excuse me" the black-haired servant looks up. Louis always sees him with Sachiko, but he doesn't know his name. "Have you seen my familiar, by chance?"

"Miss Sachiko?" he nods. "She ate with us around an hour ago, but since she left I haven't seen her again."

He frowns, his fists tightening at his sides. So she ate without telling him first. Is she that angry? "I see, thank you, and sorry for disturbing you."

"No problem, I am sorry I couldn't help you" Louis shakes his head, dismissing him, and turns around, decided to find her so he can have a few words with her. He goes to his room first, but as expected, she's not there. He wonders where in the academy she could be, and thinks of going to Kirche's room to make sure she is not there, but after thinking a little, decides he'll try there last and looks for her in the courtyards first. It isn't long until he finds her, practicing by her own in Vestri Court. He's happy he didn't go to Kirche's room first.

"You and I need to talk" Sachiko lowers Derflinger. If she's surprised that he's here, she doesn't show it.

"We do need to talk, don't we?" Louis raises his eyebrows. He's surprised she's agreeing with him, but quickly shakes that thought away.

"Before dinner, I sent a letter to the palace" he starts. Sachiko looks at him.

"Oh…" she bites her lips; "what for?"

"To ask for an audience, so I can ask permission to search in the royal archive. They have the biggest library in the country, full of historical books and accounts. Maybe there's a clue in there about your world."

Sachiko's eyes widen. Unconsciously, she steps closer. "Really, you mean it?"

"Yes, of course."

She suddenly looks much happier than before, her body vibrating with energy. But then she frowns, calming down and looking at the ground. "But, why the royal archive? You couldn't find anything in the academy's library?"

"Oh, I'm sure I could, but you see" he clears his throat, feeling a little embarrassed at admitting this; "I didn't even begin an investigation yet, mostly because I didn't know where to start, but after this afternoon, I think I know where I should head to."

"Meaning…"

"If I really have this… power" he's a little reluctant to call it void yet, not until there's solid proof at least; "then it means thanks to this power I summoned you from your world, and so, it has to be with this power that I'd send you back. The thing is, as wide and complete as the academy's library is, the real accounts detailing the void are located in the royal archive, where I want to start my investigation."

"So…" Sachiko plays with her fingers, now that she has sheathed Derflinger, and shyly looks at him from under her eyelashes; "this way you'll kill two birds with one shot?"

"Um, yes, you can look at it like that" he comments nervously. He doesn't want her to get offended again and say something like 'you're only investigating now because you want to know about the void!' so he quickly continues; "of course I'll still search in the academy's library, but if I can, I also want to look through the royal archive so as to have a better idea of what to do."

Sachiko analyzes his words for a few seconds. Finally, she nods; "sounds reasonable. And… how long until you get an audience?"

"A month, maybe more…" Sachiko groans.

"Seriously?"

"Well, what did you expect? That the court would attend me right away? They have other things to do, and my petition is a small thing when compared to the country's affairs."

"Alright, I got it."

They remain silent for a few seconds, a feeling of awkwardness surrounding them as they don't know what else to say. Sachiko clears her throat when she thinks she cannot stand it anymore.

"Thank you."

"Huh?" Louis is surprised; "why are you thanking me?"

"Well" she balances on her tiptoes, looking everywhere but at him; "for doing this for me."

"Don't be stupid, I said I would do it, didn't I? It's not something you should thank me for."

"Still, thank you" she bows in the typical Japanese way. Louis looks at her with confusion, not recognizing that type of bow. He shyly scratches his cheek.

"Well, yes, I'm your master and…" he blushes, though he doesn't know why; "and this will help me too, to know if I really have…"

He doesn't say anything else. He can feel Sachiko's eyes on him, and it's almost too much to bear. He opens his mouth to tell her he's going to bed, when she talks, preventing him from doing so. "Are you happy?"

"…what?"

"If you're happy" now she's blushing. She looks away; "happy to know you have a legendary power."

"Ah."

"Is it exciting? I mean, I know I'm supposed to be a legendary familiar, but I'm not from here and honestly, with everything that has happened to me starting with being summoned to a different _world_ , I don't really feel much of anything, so I was wondering if for you… and considering you don't…"

 _Have magic_. She doesn't need to say the words for them to hang in the air above them. Louis looks at her, even if she isn't, and takes a long moment to think of an answer. Finally, he simply sighs and shakes his head. "Whether I possess this power or not, it doesn't change anything. I'm still Louis the Zero, just… with a plus."

"Of course it changes things, I mean, if you…"

"If I have the void, it doesn't erase my past, all the things I lived and the moments of anguish I passed because I couldn't cast a spell. It doesn't erase my interactions with people or their words or treatment…" he looks up to the night sky, his eyes far away; "it can change things from here on, but the fact I'm nothing else but Louis the Zero will remain, because you can't just erase the past."

Sachiko doesn't say anything in response, and so he looks back to her. She has a deep frown, like she's thinking hard on something. Her eyes look up then, and she holds his stare. "Is it really that important that you can't do magic? So much you think nothing can change even with the void?"

For some reason her question stings his pride. He rears back, and like an injured animal snaps at her; "what do you know? You've never had the expectations people had of me, you don't know what is like to be in my shoes!"

"I concede that point" her voice remains calm, even if she leans back a little; "I don't know and I never will, but I can make myself an idea. You don't have to depend solely on magic. Void or not, magic or not, nothing of that should matter."

"That's easy for you to say."

"At least people had expectations of you" she says, her tone harder than before. She straightens her back, and her next words strike him like a ton of bricks; "but you know something? You don't realize it, but you are more than just your magic."

Another silence envelopes them, this time longer than the last. Louis doesn't say anything, simply looking at her with this expression that makes Sachiko feel like she said something really, really bad. Getting anxious, she opens her mouth again; "Lo-I mean, master, you don't…"

"Louis" he interrupts. She looks at him without understanding. To her surprise, he gives her a small smile, and it's the most sincere and heartbreaking gesture she has seen him make since meeting him. "Just call me Louis."

* * *

 **A/N: My first attempt at writing from Louis POV. Hope I didn't screw up that badly. Can anyone guess why Louis mentions Montmorency in his internal monologue about girls?**

 **I imagine when Louis entered the academy he was really popular with the girls, and then the explosions came and everybody discovered his horrible personality and the admirers left one by one.**


	9. Chapter 8: Two Reencounters

**.**

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 8: Two Reencounters**

 **...**

"Why do we have to come back so soon?" Sachiko asks, tiredness showing on her face. Her cheek rests against Louis' back, her arms around his middle. After two hours on horseback they finally arrive at the capital. "Once a month should be enough…"

"Stop complaining already" Louis snaps through gritted teeth. He's already given up on making her sit straight, since she returns to the same position even after nudging her over and over. She claims her hips hurt, having to sit with her legs to the side because if she straddled the horse then her dress would go up to her waist, and that isn't a sight proper for a woman, familiar or not. "We're almost there, so I would be really thankful if you straighten before reaching the palace."

She groans but does as he says, not before inconspicuously tracing her hands on his stomach.

She hates dresses, so when Louis told her to dress up in her best one, she complained and refused, asking why she couldn't just go with her shorts. "We're going to see the princess" he told her, throwing a pink dress at her head; "you have to look presentable."

"The princess?" Sachiko held the dress, not attempting to change.

"My petition was accepted… by the princess" he explained, and before she could ask further, he continued; "she wants us to go to the palace immediately."

"I thought it would take months before they accepted your petition" just a few days had passed. She turned her back to him, starting to undress. She didn't mind doing this when he was in the room anymore. Louis never looked, his eyes fixed on the wall or somewhere else entirely, and she knew that even if he did he probably wouldn't care enough to see her naked body.

"I thought so too, but it looks the princess got a hold of my letter, so she wrote to tell me that if I need anything, to go directly to her."

"Do you know the princess personally?" she asked with curiosity, adjusting the laces of the dress. Once she was ready, she looked back at him. As expected, he was looking out the window, facing completely opposite her. He shrugged.

"You can say we are something like childhood friends" and he didn't elaborate further after that.

 _He could have written directly to her then_ Sachiko thinks as she sits straight. Her back and legs hurt, but she tells herself she only has to endure a little more. _And wearing a dress while riding is not a good idea, this position is really uncomfortable! Well, at least it got me an excuse to touch Louis_ her smile turns lewd. Holding to him gave her the perfect opportunity to feel up his muscles without looking suspicious. Normally when she helps him get dressed she barely has the time to appreciate them. Today she made the most of her opportunity.

"Also" Louis says just as they reach the gates of the palace.

"Yes?"

"Touch me like that again and I'll cut off your hands."

"Ugh…" so he did notice. Now she feels embarrassed. Louis hands the letter he received from the princess to the guards and they let them in. After dismounting, they follow a guard inside the palace. Sachiko looks around in awe. It's the first time she has ever been inside a palace, so her eyes drink in everything she sees. Compared to the academy, it has an even more majestic air, the walls painted in white and big windows going all the way from the ceiling to the tiled floor, giving the place natural illumination that makes everything shine brightly.

She lets out sounds of amazement, making the guard look at her with a frown and Louis put a hand on his forehead. "Sachiko, stop doing that, we're not in a market."

"Eh?" she looks at him and the guard, her face getting red; "I-I'm sorry, it's just…"

"We're here" the guard announces, opening a set of double doors leading to a small work room. Inside, a woman is looking out the window. Her hands are in front of her chest and her back is turned to them. From behind, Sachiko can only see shoulder-length chestnut hair and a small, delicate crown placed on top of her head. She's wearing a light blue gown. Her arms are covered in white gloves reaching her elbows. "Your highness, I brought the guests."

"Thank you, you may take your leave" the guard bows and leaves, closing the door behind him. The princess turns around, a small smile painted on her face. "Long time no see, Louis François."

Sachiko's breath gets caught in her throat. She's beautiful, slender even though she's not really tall. Her bright blue eyes look like two jewels and her face is like that of an angel. Louis quickly kneels down, Sachiko taking just a second to follow his lead.

"It has been a long time, your highness" he replies in an even voice.

"Three years" the way she says it sounds like accusation. Louis flinches at her tone. "Please stand up Louis, and don't call me your highness, not when there's no one else around" _wait, what am I supposed to be then? A picture?_ Sachiko thinks with annoyance.

"That's…" he tries to protest, but the princess shakes her head and kneels next to him. She takes them both by surprise when she embraces him, burying her face on his neck.

"I've missed you so much."

 _H-Hey, wait a second! What do you think you're doing?!_ Sachiko thinks, her mouth falling open at the sight. She can see the way Louis tenses, and at first he doesn't return the embrace, but after a few seconds, he finally gives in and hugs her back.

"I've missed you too… Henrietta."

They remain like that for another minute in which Sachiko bites her nails with anxiety. How long are they going to keep hugging? She doesn't want to kneel anymore. Then, Henrietta finally raises her head, and as if it's the first time she repairs on her, jumps up.

"Oh, my goodness" she says with a hand on her chest. Louis looks at her with confusion, standing up, and the princess gives them both an apologetic smile. "I'm so sorry, I was so caught up in the happiness of reuniting with Louis I didn't notice you here" she says to Sachiko. She frowns, confused. "You must not like it that I hug your lover so easily."

At this, both Louis and Sachiko blush. "N-No! She's not my lover!" Louis quickly clarifies; "she's just my familiar! Please don't joke about that!" _oh come on, is it really that bad she thinks I'm your lover?_

"Familiar?" Henrietta looks at him and then at Sachiko, confused; "but she looks human…"

"I am human" Sachiko replies, puffing her cheeks in light annoyance. Henrietta blinks.

"Human? I knew Louis was special about his magic, but this is…"

"A-Anyway" Louis interrupts, clearing his throat and his face still bright red; "Your highness… I mean, Henrietta" he corrects when she gives him a look; "called for us, didn't she?"

"Oh, yes" she nods, inviting them to sit down on a pair of chairs in front of a desk. They do just that as Henrietta sits behind the desk. "I saw your letter by chance the other day. It caught my attention the seal of the Vallière family, but I would have never thought the letter was from you."

"I am allowed to use the seal of my family as heir apparent of the La Vallière House" Louis replies. Henrietta nods.

"I am not questioning that, but I do wonder the reason you requested an audience. You were never really keen in mingling with the court; less ask them for a favor."

"And I am still not, but I need their permission just this time."

"Permission for what?" Louis shifts a little.

"To look in the Royal Archive" Henrietta's eyes open wide.

"The Royal Archive?" he nods; "why?" Louis doesn't answer right away. He had an excuse ready to present the court when asked, but he knows it won't work with Henrietta, and he had little time to think of anything else to say. It's not like he doesn't trust her as his friend but… he doesn't trust her judgment or reactions, and he doesn't want to say anything when he does not only know how she'll react, but also when he isn't sure himself he has the void; "Louis?"

"It's important for me, because…" he looks at Sachiko. She jumps a little under his stare, before giving him a small, reassuring smile. Suddenly, they hear Henrietta sigh.

"I wonder how were you going to obtain permission from the court, when you can't even explain the reason to me" Louis lowers his eyes, ashamed, but she smiles at him to ease the tension. "I get it, I won't ask. I know that if you're asking for something like this then it must be for an important reason. It does pain me you don't trust me with the information, but there's nothing I can do about that."

"Henrietta…" she raises a hand, stopping him.

"I said is fine Louis. I will grant you permission" Louis' eyes snap open. Sachiko also looks surprised. "But I can't do it without a good reason, not unless I want the court breathing down my neck. Usually only high officers and court members can enter the Royal Archive, so if you want entrance you'll have to do something to prove you deserve it."

"That means…"

"I want to ask a favor from you, in exchange of granting you permission to the Royal Archive" Louis closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. Figures there was a reason Henrietta herself answered his letter. They are friends, but when it comes to their respective roles in society, there's very little their own feelings can do for the two of them.

He opens his eyes and nods; "as long as it's in my abilities to do so, of course."

Henrietta takes out a wand from a drawer. It's an heirloom of the Royal Family, a delicate thing made of crystal, reflecting the colors of the rainbow when she waves it, whispering a few words. She puts it down once she made sure no one is listening. "Have you heard of the civil war in Albion?"

"Yes" the nobility rising against the monarchy is something every noble in Halkeginia should be aware of by now. It started around two years ago, and by the latest news, it won't be long until it finally ends. Henrietta closes her eyes, clasping her hands on top of the desk as her pretty face shows sorrow, and Louis knows the cause.

"The war is coming to an end, but I'm afraid it might not end there."

"No?"

"Once the nobility manages to depose the monarchy, they will turn their eyes to Tristain" Louis gasps. He has not heard about this at all. Wasn't Albion's civil war an affair only of that country?

"But why? Why would they want to attack Tristain?"

"They have the idea that the monarchy is no longer necessary. For this reason they plan to finish off the Brimir line once and for all. They'll start with Tristain, and from there they'll probably move to Gallia and Romalia, until they have the whole of Halkeginia under their clutches."

"It makes no sense" Louis murmurs. Sachiko looks at the two of them. She doesn't understand a thing they're saying, but she catches a few pieces. When Old Osmond and Mr. Colbert explained the void to her, they mentioned four countries with the power of the void. One of them was Albion. For a holy decree issued from the church, these four countries cannot stop existing or the monarchy be overthrown, because is in their royal lineage where the power of the Founder resides. _But it's no longer necessary, if the people believe the void to be a legend_.

"Tristain is in no position to outstay a war" Henrietta continues grimly. She stands up and begins pacing, her hands behind her back. "We don't have an established army; if Albion decides to attack tomorrow we will be easily overwhelmed. Is for this reason…" she lowers her head. A small tear escapes from her eyes that makes Louis spring to his feet and go to her side immediately. "Is for this reason yesterday I, along with Cardinal Mazarin, secretly went to Germania."

"…To Germania…"

"I am to marry the Emperor, and in exchange they'll become our allies in case of a war."

"What?!" Louis asks in disbelief, his voice rising to almost a shout. "To the Emperor of that barbaric country? Doesn't he have enough women as it is?"

"It is necessary."

"Who made the deal? Was it him? Or Cardinal Mazarin?"

"That doesn't matter."

"Of course it does! Who sold you to him?! If you marry him, you'll be little more than his personal wh-!"

"I know!" Henrietta interrupts. Now she is openly crying; "but compared to the fate of Tristain, my personal happiness shouldn't be important. However, the Albionese nobles found out about the marriage, and they've been frantically searching for something that will intervene with it…" she hangs her head shamefully "and they've found it."

"A thing that will interfere with your marriage" Louis says. Henrietta nods; "what have you done?"

She lifts her head, looking at him with fiery eyes. They're puffed and some tears hang from her eyelashes. "It has to be something I did, no? Whenever it comes to me, you…"

"Does he know?" Louis asks before she says something she'll regret. His words hit a soft spot in her, and she begins crying again. She shakes her head.

"No, but he'll do soon, and I don't know what to do."

"What Henrietta wants to ask of me…"

"It's a letter" she says; "a letter I wrote to him long ago, if the Reconquista faction get their hands on it…"

"And you want me to…"

"I'm so sorry!" Louis can't bear to see her crying anymore, so he hugs her. She rests her head on his chest, her hands clutching the material of his shirt. "After everything we went through, for me to ask you to go to Albion to retrieve the letter is really selfish from me! I know is dangerous, but there's no one else I trust more than you! If I could erase the past I'd…!"

"It's alright" he calms her, lifting her chin and looking at her with such tender eyes Sachiko feels something in her chest tighten. She clenches the hem of her dress with trembling hands. "I will do it. I'll retrieve the letter you gave Prince Wales from Albion."

"Louis…"

"It's my duty after all" he clarifies, letting go of her face. "As a noble I cannot overlook such a crisis. Please allow me, heir apparent of House La Vallière, go."

Henrietta smiles and nods. They separate, and she goes to her desk as she dries her face with her hands. With a wave of her wand paper and quill come out of one of the drawers. Sachiko looks in awe how the quill moves on its own on the paper. Henrietta looks at what is being written, stops to think for a second, and continues, until the quill is put down and she rereads the letter. Once she is sure, she folds it and seals it with wax, before handing it to Louis.

"Give this to Prince Wales when you see him, he should give you back the letter when he reads it."

"When should we go, Henrietta?"

"Tomorrow morning, if possible. Anytime now the royalists will be defeated. I heard they've been driven to a corner of the country."

"Then, tomorrow morning, we shall depart" Henrietta nods, and then turns to Sachiko. With the princess sudden approach, Sachiko stands up immediately. Henrietta gives her a small smile.

"Dependable familiar" she says. Sachiko gulps, feeling nervous because, even though she's the princess of a country from a different world, it's still the first time she has ever been in the presence of royalty.

"Yes?" Louis sends her a cold glare, so she quickly corrects; "your highness."

"You'll be accompanying Louis, right?" Sachiko looks at Louis. He nods, so she gives the princess a nod too. Her smile getting a little wider, Henrietta holds out her hand to her. "Please, take care of my precious friend" her voice is soft. Louis suddenly takes a step forward.

"Henrietta! You can't! Giving your hand to a familiar…" he speaks up with an astonished voice.

"It's alright. This person will be acting for my sake, and without a reward, I won't have her loyalty" Henrietta responds. Sachiko tilts her head in thought. A handshake? What kind of reward is that? Well, it might be a good reward for anyone who was born and raised in this country, but to her it looks a little… She lets out a sigh. If it's all she has to do… She takes the princess' hand and shakes it. Louis face-palms.

"You idiot, don't shake her hand! You have to kiss her!" Sachiko's face immediately heats up, and she takes a step back, releasing Henrietta's hand.

"K-kiss her?" she looks at the princess, astonished, but Henrietta just nods in agreement. _Kiss… they're referring to a, a, a k-kiss-kiss? B-but! We're both girls! Isn't that indecent?_ Sachiko doesn't move, still contemplating what to do. _On the other hand, this is a different world, maybe the customs are not the same and kissing the princess is what I have to do, but still… ouhhh, what do I do?_ She keeps thinking, and Louis gives a low growl.

"Stop making Henrietta wait!" he yells at her. Sachiko jumps up.

"A-Alright!" and without another thought, she gently grabs Henrietta's face and kisses her on the lips. The princess freezes. Before Sachiko knows what's going on, she's out cold on the floor. "A-Ah… what happened?" she looks at Louis for answers. His face is completely red and his jaw slack.

"W-What do you think you're doing?! Why did you kiss Henrietta?!"

"Eh? Wasn't I supposed to do that?" she asks with confusion. Louis gasps.

"No! Why in the world did you even think you had to kiss her on the lips?!"

"You told me to!"

"On the hand! It's on the hand where you had to kiss her!" hearing this makes Sachiko blush.

"W-well, how was I supposed to know?! I'm not from here, how do you want me to know the customs of this weird world?!"

"There's nothing similar in yours?!"

"Ehm…" there is, but she didn't think about it.

"There is! And yet you…" he trembles, approaching her. Sachiko takes a few steps back.

"I-It wasn't my intention, b-besides… Look! The princess is waking up!" she says, feeling incredibly relieved at seeing Henrietta slowly sitting up, a hand caressing the side of her head.

"Henrietta!" Louis immediately kneels down beside her, and helps her to a chair. She sits down, her face still red. "I'm so sorry, my familiar…"

"I-It's alright, it is a reward, after all…" she says, laughing lightly but still looking embarrassed. She is thoroughly avoiding Sachiko's eyes, the same as her. "I never thought your familiar had those tastes…"

"I don't!" Sachiko yells, but another glare from Louis shuts her up. The young man sighs.

"If there's anything I can do to make it up to you…"

"I said it's alright" Henrietta insists. Louis sighs again. Once Henrietta looks recovered, he continues.

"Then, tomorrow we shall depart for Albion."

"I heard Prince Wales is camping somewhere near Newcastle" Louis bows. Henrietta looks at him; and after some more thinking, removes the ring from her ring finger and also gives it to him. "Please, take this as well" Louis' eyes open with surprise.

"This is…"

"The Water Ruby, yes, this should be proof that you go in my behalf, in case someone tries to stop you from seeing Prince Wales" Louis nods, accepting the ring. Henrietta takes his hands on hers. "I'm really sorry to send you in this mission."

"It's ok" he squeezes her hands, but it does little to reassure Henrietta.

"I'll send an officer with you, someone of my trust. I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"You don't have to worry."

Henrietta shakes her head. "I do, this mission is too dangerous. You should reunite with him tomorrow morning in front of the academy."

"As you wish" he bows again. Sachiko pouts, wishing they would stop holding hands.

* * *

The next morning, Louis is preparing the horse for their journey. Derflinger is already strapped to the side of the horse. Sachiko is in her usual shorts and parka, deciding she will never ride a horse again wearing a dress.

Louis doesn't talk to her. He still looks angry after she kissed the princess yesterday. _Geez, I'm sorry, you know? I didn't even want to kiss her_. But her grandmother used to tell her to do as the Romans and since she's in a different world she thought that… _it's your fault, you should have explained it to me, instead of just saying 'kiss her', now my second kiss has been with another girl! Can this get any worse?!_

"Sachiko" Louis says. She immediately stirs, looking at him expectantly.

"Yes?" she asks, before frowning. Why is she so happy at him just calling her name? Louis extends a hand and she looks at him with confusion; "ehm, what is…?"

He rolls his eyes. "Give me your hand, stupid" Sachiko puffs her cheeks.

"Don't call me stupid!"

"Just do it already!" he grabs her right hand, taking her by surprise, and without asking slides a ring on her ring finger. Sachiko blushes.

"T-That's the wrong hand…" she says stupidly. Louis frowns, releasing her.

"You're going to wear the water ruby because it's too small for me" he explains, folding his arms; "don't go around making yourself weird ideas."

"I-I wasn't making myself any ideas!" she tries to lie. Of course she fails. Louis sighs.

"Be very careful with that ring. I don't want you to take it off, ok?"

"O-Ok…"

"It's getting late" he complains, looking at the sky. It's still night time, but a small fringe of sunlight can be seen in the horizon. "The person Henrietta sent is late."

"How far is La Rochelle?" that's the name of the port city Louis told her of last night, when they were packing a few stuff for the journey.

"Two days on horse, and I expect you not to complain a single time" Sachiko pouts, glancing away. Once again there's silence, and she can't help but think of yesterday. The way he interacted with the princess was really suspicious. There was a strange air around them she couldn't decipher. More than childhood friends, the way they talked to each other spoke of something else, and she doesn't know why it bothers her so much. She wants to know, but at the same time she's afraid of asking. _But staying like this will take you nowhere, and it's only a small question…_

She makes up her mind and clears her throat. "Um, Louis, can I ask you a question?"

He looks at her, raising an eyebrow; "a question?" she nods; "it depends. What do you want to know?"

"About the princess…" he tenses. That's not a good sign. "Ehem, never mind…"

"No, go ahead, I'm curious" he tells her, but Sachiko is not sure anymore.

"I was just wondering… what exactly is your relationship?" Louis raises both eyebrows, the question certainly taking him by surprise, and Sachiko feels like hiding away under his stare.

"What do you mean by that? We're childhood friends, I told you already."

"No, well yes, it's quite a surprise you're childhood friends with the princess."

"Well, I'm the son of a Duke, so it shouldn't be that surprising they chose me to be her playmate."

"You're the son a Duke?" Sachiko's eyes widen. Louis blinks.

"You didn't know?"

She shakes her head, "no, you never told me. So, your family is very important if they let you play with the princess" the way she words that sentence makes Louis blush. He shrugs.

"Only second to the royal, but that's not what you wanted to ask, is it?" he says. Sachiko fidgets a little. She shyly nods. "What did you really want to know?"

"Em…" she feels heat pooling under her skin. She's suddenly unsure of asking. "By relationship I mean if you two… well…" Louis senses what she's going to ask. He becomes nervous.

"That's none of your business!" he replies quickly before she can finish. She pouts, glancing away.

"Alright, sorry for asking" and she really does look sorry. It makes Louis feel bad for yelling at her, and he opens his mouth to say something. However, he doesn't know what to say, so he decides to forget about it and go back to checking if the horse is ready. Because honestly, not even he has a real answer to Sachiko's question, and not because he has not thought about it before.

His relationship with Henrietta is by far the most complicated he has. When they were children everything was so much easier. Henrietta was his best friend, one of the most precious existences in his life, along with Cattleya. Instinctively though, he always knew the two girls held his attention in very different ways. He had not been in love with Henrietta as children and has never been naïve enough to claim otherwise, but he did know he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, and the only way he knew as a nine-year-old to do that was through marriage. So he wanted to marry her, but not because he loved her romantically, but because she was his best friend.

And then, one day, they grew up and Henrietta started sneaking into his room at night and everything went to hell. It makes his stomach churn just remembering it, and sometimes he wishes more than anything he could erase those nights, because those nights were what ruined their friendship forever, what leaded to him refusing to talk to her for three years until yesterday.

And yet she trusts him. Trusts him enough to send him to Albion to retrieve what is most likely a love letter she wrote to Prince Wales. _But she doesn't have reason not to_. If not because of what's left of their friendship, then his sense of duty to their country would do the trick. _Although she still seems to consider you her friend_. She said so when she offered her hand to Sachiko.

He bites his lips, holding back a curse he wants to scream at the top of his lungs. Three years apart from her and the first thing he does is notice how much more beautiful she'd become. Three years apart from her, after he willingly cut off any ties with her, and he just returns her embrace and tells her he missed her. Because he did, and he didn't notice until he had her face to face. Not just for what could have been but for all of their childhood memories together. The days they spent playing and laughing, the nights when everything changed… and that single night that ruined everything.

"What is that?" Sachiko asks. Louis turns to her, seeing she's looking up, and he follows her eyes until he can see something flying in the sky. He squints as the thing slowly descends, and when it's halfway through the air he recognizes the creature.

"That's a griffin. Henrietta's officer is finally here" he says with a sigh of relief. The sigh gets caught in his throat however, when he sees the person mounting the griffin.

"Hey there" a man in his mid-twenties greets, his long blond hair flowing in the wind and a kind smile on his face. He's wearing a uniform with a feathered hat and there's a rapier attached to his side, his beard is well-trimmed, and he has a few wrinkles around his eyes he didn't have before, but it's impossible for Louis not to recognize him. He forgets any thoughts he had about Henrietta and without thinking runs up to him.

"Wardes!" he exclaims happily. He halts just when he's in front of the griffin. Even though he planned on hugging him when he was approaching, now that they're face to face he realizes he can't do that anymore. After all, he's no longer ten years old.

Wardes chuckles, dismounting and folding his arms. "What? Too old to give your big brother a hug?" he asks teasingly. Louis blushes, but he can't erase the smile from his face no matter how much he tries to.

"You're an idiot" he laughs before finally hugging him. "I didn't know the princess was going to send you!"

"She thought since I've known you since you were a child, I would be a good option for this mission."

"She thought right" they separate; "I heard you're the captain of the griffin corps now. Congratulations! I know you've been working really hard!"

"Thanks" his eyes fall on Sachiko, who's looking at the scene with her mouth open. She has never seen Louis smile so much. "And this young lady here?" Wardes asks as he approaches her. Sachiko straightens, looking him up and down.

 _He's pretty handsome_ she thinks as her cheeks get red. Tall, muscled and with an elegant stance, he walks towards her with firm steps, showing off his confidence and making Sachiko go weak in the knees. Once he's in front of her, he gives her a smile that almost manages to melt her down on the spot.

"She's my familiar" Louis says, walking up to them. He's glaring at Sachiko for the way she's ogling Wardes, but she isn't looking at him. Wardes blinks upon hearing this.

"Your familiar?" he asks with a small smile. Louis pouts.

"Not because I wanted to…"

"Hey!"

"Don't worry Louis; I'm not making fun of you" he chuckles before glancing back at Sachiko. "My name is Jean-Jacques Francis de Wardes. It is a pleasure to meet you" he bows down, taking her hand and placing a soft kiss on it. Sachiko blushes from head to toe, her body getting numb. Louis is fuming at their side, finding her behavior incredibly annoying.

"That's enough Wardes, you should release her before she throws herself at you" Sachiko snaps awake from her fantasies and turns to glare at him.

"Hey, who do you think I am?"

"Please, don't fight you two" Wardes says in a conciliatory tone, before looking at Sachiko again. "And what is your name, young lady?"

"Ah yes" Sachiko smiles, her mood changing rapidly; "my name is Hiraga Sachiko, but you can just call me Sachiko."

"That's a strange name, if you allow me to say so" Sachiko chuckles.

"Ah, don't worry about it. And how do you two know each other?" she looks from him to Louis, who looks pretty pissed off by that point. She would take out her tongue at him but better not to do so when Wardes is looking. "I heard you say you are Louis' big brother, but I thought he only had sisters."

"Oh, we're not related by blood" Wardes explains; "I'm actually a Viscount, and my lands are neighboring La Vallière's territory. It's a very small territory though."

"But you take great care of it" Louis says, smiling again. Wardes shrugs.

"You should say that to my steward. He's the one taking care of my lands while I spent my time with the Imperial Guard."

"Still, you shouldn't underestimate yourself. You've come a long way since you left six years ago. I'm sure your parents would be proud of you" Louis gives him a small smile, trying to be supportive. Wardes smiles sadly in return. Then he looks at the road in front of them.

"Enough of this small chat. We should get going if we want to make it to La Rochelle before night time."

"Night time?" Sachiko asks, confused. "I thought it took two days on horse to get there."

"We'll try to get there sooner. After all, this mission is very urgent, isn't it Louis?" he looks at the young boy. Louis nods vehemently.

"You're right, we should go now. Maybe we can make it in a day" he smiles as if he has just been given a challenge. Sachiko is really surprised at the change in him. He must be really happy to see Wardes again.

"Perfect then, let us go" and with that they mount, Wardes his griffin and Louis and Sachiko their horse, and take off.

* * *

 **A/N: You'd ask 'was it necessary to have Sachiko kiss Henrietta?' and I'd say 'no, but darn it I was going to make it happen'. I wasn't sure if I wanted to include this arc, but it introduces a lot of important things and characters, so why not. Although I feel the chapter was kind of rushed. Keep in mind I'm slowly beginning to fall more into headcanon territory, so if you find something off with Henrietta and Louis' exchange, it might be because of that. Also, Louis is heir apparent of La Vallière, even though I'm pretty sure gender has little to do when it comes to inheritance in Halkeginia, considering a woman can easily stand level with other men in terms of magic. It does give him another reason to lament being unable to cast magic though.**

 **And before you say anything about Henrietta, the next chapter I'm planning on going more in depth in her relationship with Louis, as well as the role Wardes played in his life, since he's obviously not his fiancé in this story.**


	10. Chapter 9: The Endless Journey

**.**

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 9: The Endless Journey**

 **...**

With almost a day on horseback and not a single moment of rest, Sachiko is all but ready to pass out from tiredness. She hates horses. She hates it with a passion.

She used to like horses when she was little. Her father once bought her a small stuffed horse she played with countless hours, taking it with her wherever she went, pretending to be a knight protecting the weak and small, until one day one of the kids of the neighborhood got mad at her and ripped it off while laughing. She cried so much at the loss of her stuffed partner, but her love for the animal never disappeared, and it was her dream to learn how to mount one someday.

Now she can only laugh at that thought. Riding a horse sucks, your rear hurts like hell and your whole body gets cramps from staying too long in the same position. There isn't a position she can get into that won't end up with her losing the feeling in some part of her body, and so the only thing she's doing now is leaning completely on Louis, who looks as fresh as if he had just mounted.

He did try to tell her to sit straight, but she was complaining so much he finally gave up. The journey passed between getting in a spring where Sachiko felt her brain bumping inside her head, to peaceful trots. They already changed mounts twice, but apart from those moments, they didn't rest a single time. She feels like she's going to die. She isn't even holding to Louis, her arms hanging uselessly at her sides.

In that moment they are just trotting, Louis and Wardes engaged in small talk. She can hear their words as if through a hazy veil.

"Is Eleonore still unmarried?" Wardes asks with what appears to be mirth. Louis snorts. Sachiko has noticed he behaves in a very informal way with Wardes. When they're talking, he almost looks like a normal guy instead of a noble.

"Yes, but Cattleya wrote a letter telling me she's gotten engaged… _again_."

"What number is this time, third?"

"Fourth" his voice carries weariness, as if this is not the first time he has to say this. "It makes you wonder what she does to scare all the men away. My father has even placed a good dowry on her."

"Eleonore has a wild spirit. Not everyone can understand her."

"I wish she could marry you…"

Wardes laughs at this. He shakes his head. "I'm just a viscount Louis, and Eleonore is the first daughter of a duke. Besides, I'm still too young to tie the knot."

"Just admit you're glad you can't marry her. I would."

"You're being a little cruel with your sister."

"But you're the captain of the Griffin Corps now" Louis says, ignoring his last comment; "my father shouldn't have any complains if you ask for Cattleya's hand."

"I'm glad to see I have your permission to marry your sister, but I doubt your parents will ever let her go, not with her condition."

"I know" he sighs sadly; "but if she could get married, I wish it could be to you."

"Instead of trying to play matchmaker for me, shouldn't you start worrying about yourself? You're already sixteen; it's time for the future duke to have a betrothed, if not a wife still."

Louis blushes. He shakes his head vehemently. "No way! I'm too young for that kind of stuff! Besides, I don't have anyone I like…" he whispers, turning his face to the side and wrinkling his nose. Wardes shrugs.

"Your position demands that you take a wife someday. Sooner or later your parents will start drilling you to choose a bride. It will be easier for you if you find someone before they decide for you."

"Ugh…" he slouches on the horse. Because Sachiko is leaning completely on him, her body follows the movement, almost causing her to fall down the horse if not because she manages to hold to Louis in time. He looks at her with surprise. "What are you doing? Don't clench my clothes!"

"I was about to fall…" her voice is weak. She's really tired.

Louis rolls his eyes. "After a while I forgot you were there. Be more careful, alright?"

"Yes…"

"Are you alright?" Wardes asks with worry upon seeing her face; "you look a little pale…"

"I'm not used to riding horses…"

"You're not used to anything" Louis complains. Sachiko huffs, despite being very worn out.

"Excuse me, but we've been riding all day without stopping even _once_. Can we rest a little? I think just half an hour should be enough for me to recover…"

"No, this mission is urgent and we have to reach La Rochelle as quickly as possible" Louis says with a firm voice, anger underlying his tone. Sachiko rolls her eyes, leaning against him again.

"At this pace I will faint."

"Do it quietly then."

"What is your problem?!"

"If you're really that tired" Wardes says before the two can start arguing; "you can ride with me."

Louis and Sachiko turn to look at him with wide eyes, Louis unconsciously reining the horse to a stop. "What are you saying, Wardes?"

"It would be a problem if she faints. Besides, a griffin is really comfortable to ride on. She'll have more space and won't get as tired" he explains with an easy smile. Sachiko blushes, but Louis shakes his head.

"It's not necessary for you to do something like that just for an insignificant familiar."

"Do you realize I can hear everything you say, don't you?"

"She wouldn't just be bothering you, but that would also teach her bad habits. I can't have a spoiled familiar" he says with determination. Sachiko glares at him. If she could she would hit him.

Wardes simply smiles. "I don't plan to spoil your familiar Louis. I'm just worried about her. Don't forget this mission is urgent, and if she faints it will be really inconvenient for us."

"Even like that…"

"Come on" he extends a hand to Sachiko. She looks at him with a shy smile, taking it without glancing back at Louis; otherwise he might deter her with a glare. Louis fumes silently. He looks like he wants to protest. "I know you're not happy Louis, but look at it from a practical sense."

Sachiko makes herself comfortable, stretching her legs with a content hum. She bumps against Wardes' chest, since she's sitting in front of him, and looks back with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

"Don't worry. Are you more comfortable now?" she nods with a small smile. Wardes smiles back; "that's what's important."

"It is…" she glances down, her cheeks blushing. Louis clenches the reins tightly. He spurs the horse to a spring, leaving them behind in a flash; "hey Louis, wait!"

"He's angry" Wardes says, urging the griffin to follow him; "he doesn't want us to look at his face."

"He has never had a problem showing me his angry face" Sachiko comments, puzzled. The griffin is fast, so in no time they're catching up to him, but Wardes orders it to slow down, so they're leaving Louis a bit of space for himself. He sighs.

"It's my fault. You're his familiar, but I still went against his wishes. He knows I'm right though, or else he would have already said something. We should just let him alone for a moment."

"Um…" she's worried though. An angry Louis means a distressed Sachiko. She's the only one who will receive his wrath later. _Well, whatever, I might as well just enjoy while I can_. "Thank you for letting me ride with you even though Louis said I couldn't" she says with a bit of shyness.

"It is my pleasure. I assume this is your first time mounting a griffin, isn't it?" he asks. Sachiko nods enthusiastically.

"Mounting or seeing one" she caresses the griffin's head, and the beast makes a soft sound of contentment. "I have never before seen a griffin, to be honest."

"Well, it doesn't surprise me. Commoners don't usually come in contact with magical beasts. It can be dangerous for them."

"Is this griffin your familiar?" Wardes laughs, shaking his head.

"This griffin is a part of the corps. It belongs to me, of course, but it's not my familiar. I don't have one" Sachiko gasps, turning a little so she can see his face better.

"I thought all mages had familiars. Why don't you have one?"

"I don't have the time to care for one, and I don't really need it at the moment. And although it's true many mages have familiars, it's not the rule for everyone. Some people might find it more of a burden; others don't feel like they need them, while others may not have the means to keep one, even if they want it. It's all relative when it comes to the mage's needs and capacities."

"Then why the students in the academy summon one?"

"One thing you need to know about the Tristain Academy of Magic is that is an academy for the upper class, in rough terms" Sachiko tilts her head to the side, frowning; "a familiar is, besides a companion, a sign of status. They determine the power of a mage and, in the case of the students, helps them advance in the branches of magic they're going to specialize in the future."

"That means…"

"If you summon a wind dragon, it means you're not only powerful, but your affinity also inclines towards wind, so you would choose subjects that have wind as a primary part of the study."

"Oh…" she nods, looking at her hand with a distant expression. So it was not only because of the legends they thought Louis had the void. His affinity was directly linked with her being Gandálfr.

"Which brings us back to you" Wardes continues speaking, looking at her with a calculating expression. Sachiko suddenly feels self-conscious, with his eyes staring at her so firmly. "If a familiar determines a mage's power, what can we make of a mage who summons a human?"

"I-I don't know…" she feels the same as when Miss Longueville was asking her. Could it be he found out too? How? She didn't mention anything, and neither did Louis.

Wardes extends a hand, and she looks at it confusedly. "I couldn't help but notice the runes on your hand" Sachiko swallows. It seems another person is going to find out soon. "I like to investigate about history, and as a captain of the griffin corps I have free access to the Royal Archive."

"Is that so…"

"I've seen these runes before" with a gesture of the head he urges her to give him her hand. Sachiko understands now why he extended his before. She daintily gives it to him. "These are the runes of the legendary familiar, Gandálfr, aren't they?"

He's asking her, not confirming it. Sachiko doesn't know if she should tell him. _But he almost has it figured it out, and besides, he's a good friend of Louis. I don't think it'll cause too much damage if I tell him_. She bites her lips and timidly looks up to him; "y-yes… it seems I am Gandálfr…"

"It seems? Aren't you sure?"

"How can I be? I don't know anything about Gandálfr…" she says with a small pout, glancing down; "besides, don't you think it would be weird? That I am Gandálfr while Louis can't chant anything without blowing things up?"

"Not really" she frowns. He smiles. "You see, everyone thinks Louis is weak and hopeless when it comes to magic, but I don't think that's the case. His magic just works differently from the rest, it doesn't mean he can't be powerful."

"But I'm not talking about power, it's…"

"But I am" he interrupts; "whoever summoned Gandálfr should be expected to be a powerful mage. I always believed Louis would grow to do incredible things, and you, these runes here, are the proof of that."

"Mmm…" she doesn't understand it. She's new to this world after all, and Louis has not elaborated on what the void is supposed to be, so her knowledge is limited. Besides, there is also the problem of the runes. The only time she was able to use a sword like an expert was during her duel with Guiche, but ever since then, even when practicing with Louis, they had not glow and she didn't feel the boost of energy she felt that day. Isn't that a problem if she's Gandálfr?

"I'm glad you're Louis' familiar" Sachiko's head snaps up towards him, her face showing confusion; "I might be making assumptions, but you look like a nice girl. That child is very insecure and lonely, he needs constant support, and with you by his side I think he can get better. So please, take care of him. I'm leaving him in your hands" he bows his head slightly, leaving Sachiko dumbfounded.

She wants to say something about Louis needing support, but decides to keep it to herself and simply nod. Wardes smiles before glancing back to the front, while she lowers her eyes, a small frown between her eyebrows. _What kind of support would that guy need? I mean, sure, he must be lonely, considering everyone ignores him in the academy, but it doesn't look like it affects him too much_. She thinks back on the first days after she was summoned. He was surprisingly cool even with his classmates bluntly jeering at him. Then she looks up at him. He looks tense, his body shaking slightly. She can't help but raise an eyebrow, wondering what's going on with him now.

 _He's strong_ ; not only in character but also physically. In the few days they've been practicing together she'd noticed it. He's a good fencer, agile and precise. She can't fathom how someone like him would need support or be insecure. Ok, maybe she can, but isn't he strong enough to overcome it on his own? That's the impression she has of him, at least.

She sighs, and without thinking leans back. Her back softly hits Wardes' chest, and she immediately freezes. She forgot he was there. "I-I'm sorry…" she tries to separate, but to her immense surprise, he gently places his hands on her shoulders, stopping her.

"It's alright; you can lean on me if you want. You must be really tired" her mouth falls open. She should tell him she's fine, but the prospect of leaning against that manly chest of his is too strong. Just a taste won't hurt, would it?

"I won't bother you?" she makes sure. He shakes his head.

"Not really, just relax" satisfied with his answer, she timidly leans against him, feeling a blush spreading on her face. She lazily looks up again, and in a second her heart fills with fear.

Louis is glaring at her, his whole body trembling. Now she understands why he looks so tense.

 _I'm going to get killed…_

* * *

The moment their eyes meet, Louis whips his head back to the front and spurs the horse to run faster. He can't believe her nerve. Not only disobeying him when he explicitly said he didn't want her to ride with Wardes, but then going as far as touching him, leaning against him, blushing… looking at him with such l-l-lusty-y e-eyes…

He kicks the sides of the horse again. He doesn't worry that he's leaving his companions behind. A griffin is faster than a horse and they can catch up to him if Wardes wants it, but he knows he won't, because he has always been very respectful of his privacy and knows when he doesn't want company. It leaves him more time alone to rage over his familiar's behavior.

Doesn't she know how to be ashamed? Can't she understand that she has no place riding alongside a captain of the Imperial Guard? Or that she's not only embarrassing herself but also him. Granted, Wardes insisted, but decorum dictates she knows her place and politely refused his offer. Getting so close to him and then behaving like that, with shyness as if she's trying to seduce him, makes him incredibly angry. Wardes is one of the few people whose opinion of him still matters, and that she's acting like that makes him worried that he's going to think he doesn't know how to control his familiar.

 _But it would take more than just that for Wardes' opinion of you to be tainted_. He knows that, deep down. After all, he has known Wardes since he was a little kid. As far as he can remember, he had always been there, acting like a big brother to him.

Wardes lost his mother at a young age. Louis didn't remember the woman at all, he was too small when she passed away, but he heard some stories, how she became delusional the last years of her life and died in an accident, during a party by falling down the stairs. Nobody really talked about the incident, and he knew by the way Wardes' eyes would become distant every time she was mentioned that it still pained him deeply.

A few years later it was his father who perished in battle. After that Wardes inherited his father's title and left for the capital to make a name for himself. Fortunately, Henrietta's father had a great impression of his father, and so allowed him entrance in the Griffin corps like an apprentice. From then on, he rarely returned to his lands, letting them in the care of his steward. Louis would often write to him, asking him how he was doing and when he would come visit, but his letters became more and more sporadic as the time passed, until they no longer contacted each other.

It was not because Louis forgot about him or was it on purpose, like it was with Henrietta, but he would often receive Wardes' replies weeks, if not months later, apologizing because he didn't have time to write back since he was very busy with the griffin knights. He never took it personally, and decided to stop writing until he finally went back home so as not to bother him.

When he was a child, Wardes would always go to La Vallière to play with him, whenever he wasn't training with his mother or studying with Eleonore, and those moments were some of the happiest of his childhood. He wanted Wardes to be a real part of his family, but the one time he suggested such thing to his father he received an immediate negative. After all, even if he was powerful, Wardes was still nothing but a mere viscount, not good enough to marry the daughter of a duke.

Louis disliked that, and he was quick to let his father know he didn't agree with him, but he would have none of it. In the end, even though Wardes is a powerful mage, they are very much alike. Where he has status and political power, Wardes doesn't. He has a family that, for better or worse, has faith in him and support him despite his lack of magical power, whereas Wardes is alone in the world. He managed to rise on his own, using his abilities and now he's the captain of the Griffin Corps, and Louis admires him for that. It gives him hope that, someday, he will be able to sort out his problems and reach as far as him.

He is his role model and for that very reason he doesn't want him to think badly of him because of his familiar. He chances another look at them. Sachiko's face is blushed, like it has been since the moment she mounted the griffin. He clenches the reins, his lips curling up in anger. What a nice thing she's making those expressions just when she's next to Wardes. And when she's with him the only thing she does is look down and pale, like he's going to hunt her down or something.

 _What an annoying woman!_ He thinks before spurring on the horse again.

* * *

Night is already falling by the moment Wardes announces they're arriving at La Rochelle. Louis has calmed down considerably, but he's still a few meters ahead of them, not that it bothers Sachiko. She doesn't want him close, especially remembering the way he glared at her earlier.

It confuses her they're supposedly arriving at the port city but she can still see mountains all around them. In fact, there are more mountains now that there were a few hours ago. _Shouldn't we go to the sea? Although… maybe it's on the other side of the mountains?_ She turns a little to ask Wardes, when her stomach growls at full intensity. She blushes.

"We didn't stop even once to eat" the viscount says apologetically. He takes something out of a pouch at his side. "I'm sorry about that, but we wanted to get to La Rochelle as fast as possible."

"I-I know that, so it's ok" she takes what he's offering her: dry meat. They had been feeding on that for the entire day, much to Sachiko's surprise, who thought since Louis is so spoiled he would complain about the measly meal. Instead he dutifully ate small bites throughout the trek. She munches the piece of meat, trying to hide a wince of distaste. It's not that the meat tastes bad, but she just wants something real to eat already. But she won't complain if Louis and Wardes don't.

 _I miss Shiro…_ she thinks back on the young man in the academy. By this time of the day he should be preparing dinner. She barely had the time to tell him she would be gone for a few days, and to tell Marteau that so he wouldn't worry. He looked a bit sad, but didn't ask any questions and just answered with a smile he would do that. _Does he miss me too? I want this mission to be over soon._

She's not happy about going to a country at war. She's a little scared, actually, but it isn't like she could have said no, especially taking into consideration the objective of this mission is gaining entrance to the Royal Archive, ultimately something for her sake and that Louis is doing for her.

With that in mind, she looks at him again, and wonders what in the world she can contribute to this mission, useless as she is. Even Louis can do more than her, the supposed Gandálfr. _Well, at least we have Wardes_ , before he came, she had been seriously worried about just the two of them going to Albion, but with him around she feels a little safer. He is a powerful mage after all. According to Louis anyway.

She's thinking of this stuff when suddenly a bunch of torches illuminate the night sky from the top of a cliff. She looks at them with a frown, and in the next second a cloud of arrows fly in their direction, first towards Louis since he's in the front.

"Louis, watch out!" she screams with fear. Louis halts his horse on instinct after hearing her, but just when the arrows are about to reach him, a gush of wind spreads them away. Wardes has his rapier high up. It seems he uses it as a wand. His eyes are narrowed in concentration.

"An ambush" he says. Sachiko doesn't hear him. She jumps down of the griffin and runs towards Louis; "wait, it's dangerous!"

"Are you alright?" she asks Louis when she's next to him. He looks at her with big eyes, his mouth open with surprise.

"Y-Yes, I am, but you…"

"Thank God" she sighs with relief, before reaching out for Derflinger. Her runes glow, and the tiredness of the day fades away. She looks at her hand in disbelief. _They're glowing. Why? All this time they didn't, and now…_

"I feel so lonely partner, is it too much asking you take me out once in a while?"

"Let's talk about this in another moment" shaking her head and dismissing both Derflinger and the runes, she concentrates in the task at hand. Her eyes survey the cliff, searching for the archers, but they're protected by the shadows of the early night. Wardes doesn't take long to approach them.

"They're probably thieves or bandits. Be careful" he tells Sachiko. She nods, taking a defensive stance. For a second time they hear the sound of hundreds of arrows piercing the sky but…

Something impressive happens. The arrows stop midair, being completely visible in the night sky. Next, screams are heard from the cliffs. A gust of wind drags the ambushers down, rolling all the way to the ground. Sachiko winces involuntarily.

"These are wind spells" Wardes says, seeing the arrows being scattered away from them. A figure appears against the backdrop of the moons. It's a dragon. Sachiko gulps and raises Derflinger higher, but Louis puts a hand on her shoulder. He's no longer mounting the horse.

"Relax, I know who it is" he frowns as they look at the dragon landing. Despite being afraid, Sachiko can't help but gasp. This is the first time she has ever seen a dragon. It's not very big, its scales a soft light-blue and its wings reaching no more than a few meters. Curiosity quickly replaces awe, and she wonders who's mounting it if Louis knows it.

From the dragon, to Sachiko's immense surprise, Kirche jumps down, flipping her hair and wearing a charming smile.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" she says, putting her hands on her hips. Sachiko can only look at her with her mouth open. Louis fumes, walking up to her with an angry look.

"What do you mean 'sorry to keep you waiting'? Why are you even here in the first place?" he asks in a hard tone, crossing his arms. Kirche huffs.

"Is this the way you thank me after saving you from those guys?" she points with her thumb behind her, where the ambushers are grunting and rolling in pain due to their injuries after falling from the cliff. Louis growls.

"Answer my question."

"Alright, alright; I saw you guys leaving the academy this morning, so I woke Tabitha up and followed you all the way here" she nonchalantly says while gesturing to Tabitha, who's reading on top of the dragon and still wearing her pajamas. Louis' eyebrows twitch.

"Well then, go back! We're on a secret mission given to us by her highness!" he exclaims. Kirche's eyebrows rise in surprise.

"Secret mission?" she asks with amusement. It's then that Louis realizes his blunder. He curses under his breath, and Kirche laughs at him; "you should have told me before! How was I supposed to know? Anyway, we're already here so feeling a little thankful towards us shouldn't be a problem, right?" he keeps glaring at her, so she sighs; "as I thought. Whatever, it's not like I actually came here to help **you**."

"Then why did you come?"

"Because…" she looks at Sachiko, who's still looking astounded at the dragon; "someone really wanted to meet you, Sachiko dear."

"Huh?" she finally wakes up and looks at her. Kirche points to the dragon again, who finally puts down its wings, revealing a figure they couldn't see before. Sachiko feels her stomach falling to her feet. "What are you doing here?!"

"Am I not allowed to be here?" Guiche dares ask as he jumps from the dragon. He gives her a brilliant smile. Sachiko feels a headache forming already.

"Oh, not you too" Louis spits the words like a curse. Guiche huffs in annoyance.

"I didn't come here for **you** _ **.**_ "

"Nor for me, please tell me you didn't come here for me" Sachiko begs with a tremulous voice. Guiche looks heartbroken.

"Hey! What's wrong with that?"

"Argh!"

"He just tagged along out of nowhere. We couldn't get rid of him, and so had to take him with us if we didn't want to lose trail of you" Kirche explains, crossing her arms. Louis raises an eyebrow.

"Stalker" he murmurs. Kirche blushes.

"I-I am not a stalker!"

"Yeah right, tell that to someone who believes you."

"I'm serious!"

"Ehm, Louis" Wardes intervenes, taking a step forward with the griffin. Kirche and Guiche turn to look at him, and both let out sounds of surprise upon seeing him.

"Could you be… a griffin knight?" Guiche asks; his eyes big and full of admiration. Kirche is looking him up and down in a similar way Sachiko did that morning. Again, Louis feels annoyance.

Wardes smiles; "I am the captain of the griffin knights, actually."

"I knew it! It's such an honor meeting you! My name is Guiche Armand Roquelaure de Gramont, fourth son of General Gramont! I hope to one day become part of the Imperial Guards as well!"

"And I am Kirche Augusta Frederica Anhalt von Zerbst" Kirche steps up with a seductive smile, leaning on the griffin. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"I am Jean-Jacques Francis de Wardes. The pleasure is mine. Are they friends of yours, Louis?"

"They're classmates, please ignore them" he says, trying really hard to contain himself. If he thought Sachiko was making a fool of herself, that is nothing compared to the two of them. He looks at Kirche with irritation. The moment she sees a good-looking guy, her mind wanders, and while he normally doesn't care and even thinks of it as a relief, he hates it that she has now set her eyes on his big brother. "Zerbst, get away from Wardes."

"Why? Jealous?" she has a mocking smile. He rolls his eyes. Now she's going to try to seduce him to get a reaction out of him. Better if he starts ignoring her, Wardes will take care of her himself. He turns to Guiche.

"You can't stay here. Go back to the academy."

"But we already came all the way here, and if it's a mission from her highness, I'll be more than happy to help!"

"No! Go back now!"

"It shouldn't be a problem" Wardes interrupts. Louis looks at him with surprise. "They're already here, and they helped us. Besides, they already know about the mission, and if they're your classmates then I think we can trust them, just a little."

"But…"

"Thank you!" Guiche bursts out in happiness. Kirche sighs, resting her chin on her hands and looking up at him with rounded, sparkling eyes.

"Thanks. By the way, you're really manly. Do you know what passion looks like?"

"Oh, for the love of…" Louis buries his face on his hands. In just a few minutes the situation has gotten much more irritating. When he looks up he sees from the corner of his eye at Guiche trying to get close to Sachiko, while she does her best to get away.

"Oh, come on, just forget about it. That was ages ago!"

"Two weeks! And it's not enough time to forget you tried to kill me!"

"How much more time do you need?"

"There's not enough time in the world for me to forgive you! Stop insisting and leave me alone!"

"And you stop being so headstrong!"

"Talks the guy who sends me roses every single day of the week!"

"I would stop sending them to you if you just accepted them!"

"Never! And don't you have a girlfriend already? Monmon was her name, no?"

"…"

"Oh, that's right, she dumped you. I don't want to have anything to do with a guy like you! If you're looking for a replacement, better set your eyes on someone else!"

"Her name is Montmorency, and it was your fault she dumped me! And what are you talking about? You're making it sound like I'm actually _interested_ in you!"

"Are you not? After the roses and the stalking?!"

"Before you make yourself weird ideas, let me tell you that-!"

"That's enough" Louis cuts them off, approaching them and glaring at Guiche. The other boy simply looks at him with a combination of irritation and fear. "Guiche, why don't you do something useful and go interrogate those guys over there? And _please_ , stop bothering my familiar."

"This has nothing to do with you, and if you're interested then _you_ should g-augh!" he kneels down in pain after Louis loses his patience and stomps on his foot. He then proceeds to kick Guiche so he starts moving. "Alright, I get it! No need to resort to violence!" he yells as he gets away from the fickle blonde. Louis snorts, before turning his eyes to Sachiko. She's sheathing Derflinger, her lips in a small pout and her eyes downcast. He clears his throat, making her look at him.

"He sends you roses every day of the week?" she blushes, before shaking her head.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"If he bothers you too much, just tell me. I'll put him in his place" Sachiko sighs, trying to give him a reassuring smile.

"Thanks, but I can take care of myself, and it's not something that really affects me" Louis frowns at this. He doesn't think it's a small thing. He will have a talk with Guiche later. That about him paying so much attention to Sachiko really bothers him. Better to make it stop as soon as possible.

"But I… just…" they hear Kirche's voice, cutting through the air with an offended tone. They turn to look at her. She's gesturing with her hands, unable to find the proper words. Wardes sighs.

"I'm sorry for having laughed at you. You are really pretty, but I'm not interested in that kind of thing for the moment" he responds, doing his best to sound polite. Kirche keeps rambling for a little bit, before finally sighing in defeat. She rapidly recovers though, and straightens her back while proudly walking away from him.

"Whatever, you don't know what you're missing" she says haughtily. Louis and Sachiko follow her with the eyes until she mounts the dragon again. Sachiko then tries to approach Wardes, but a hand on her wrist stops her before she can take a single step. She looks at Louis, who has a stern expression.

"You" he says slowly. Sachiko suddenly feels a shiver run up her spine. His hold on her wrist intensifies, and he quickly drags her to their horse; "are coming with me now. No more bothering Wardes with your unnecessary presence" he lifts his chin, making Sachiko frown.

"I wasn't bothering him. We were having quite a pleasant conversation, just so you know" she responds in the same tone, liberating her wrist from his grasp. She gropes it slightly, and Louis snorts, turning to look at her.

"Yeah right. If that's what you want to think. Anyway, you're not riding with him anymore, so come already" he orders. Sachiko narrows her eyes even more, and is opening her mouth to retort something, when Wardes suddenly speaks up.

"Alright everybody. Mr. Gramont says they are only robbers. There's no need to worry, we can continue our journey" with that, he orders his griffin to walk on, barely looking for Sachiko before seeing her with Louis and concluding they've made up. Sachiko pouts, since that means she has to go with Louis now. With a defeated sigh, she turns to her master and rides up with him the rest of the way.

* * *

 **A/N: I really wanted to include more things in this chapter, but it was getting too long, so I'll leave them for later. Does Wardes actually have a familiar? Also, Guiche is not in love with Sachiko, he's just weird.**


	11. Chapter 10: La Rochelle

**.**

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 10: La Rochelle**

 **...**

The exhaustion from the day is palpable. Riding a whole day without pause is completely inhuman, at least from Sachiko's point of view. She isn't used to long rides. She never left Japan even once. Heck, the farthest place she has traveled to was to Kyoto with her family when she was thirteen, and that was just a few hours on plane.

She's more than happy when Wardes tells them they will rest for the night at the city and part tomorrow to Albion. She needs a good night's rest. The city itself is not very big. It has a population of only three-hundred, but it's always crowded with travelers, merchants and mercenaries who travel from one country to another. The buildings and houses are all carved in the rock of the mountains, and because of its high walls, sun is scarce even in the day, making the night darker.

They decide to stay at La Rochelle's fanciest hotel: 'The Goddess' Temple'. It's at a higher level than the rest of the buildings in the city, so they have a panoramic view of La Rochelle when they ascend. After they check in, Wardes and Louis go out to the pier to reserve a ship for tomorrow. The rest wait for them in the lobby.

"This place is amazing…" Sachiko says while looking around. The floors and tables are made of the finest marble, there's a chandelier above their heads shining with gold decorations, and even the staff is perfectly dress with uniforms.

At her side, Guiche puffs out his chest proudly. "It's only expected of a hotel for nobles."

"This is too much, if you ask my opinion. And why do you look so proud? It's not like the hotel belongs to you…"

"Do you think they'll take long? I could really use a bed now" Kirche stretches her arms above her head, letting out a big yawn.

"I don't think so; the pier is just down the street."

"Where's the pier?" Sachiko decides to ask now that it was brought up. Guiche and Kirche look at her with frowns. "Because this is a mountain, is the ocean to the other side?"

"Wait… you don't know where Albion is?" Guiche asks with surprise. Sachiko shakes her head, making him laugh; "this is too much! Even for a commoner, not to know such a thing!"

"I don't have common knowledge of this world and please don't assume I do."

"I've never been to Albion myself, so I'm really curious to see the pier too" Kirche says, folding her arms. "In any case, I can't believe that Viscount is friends with Louis. He may be handsome but when looking carefully his eyes are so cold, like he's empty inside, while Louis is so full of life… Someone like him will never understand passion."

"You're just saying that out of spite" Guiche comments with a grin.

"As if."

They keep talking a little more. Sachiko looks at the blue-haired girl silently standing to the side, holding a book to her face. She hasn't spoken a word since they arrived. Now that she thinks about it, Sachiko can't remember even hearing the sound of her voice since she was summoned. She casually approaches her.

"So, is that dragon your familiar?" she asked Louis when they were still on horseback. The girl nods, but otherwise doesn't lift her eyes or acknowledges her presence. "That's pretty impressive. It must be really cool having a dragon as a familiar. You can travel to distant places comfortably and look at everything from the sky. Would it be too much asking if I can ride your dragon someday?"

She nods again, but Sachiko can't discern if she means it would be too much asking or that she can ride it. She's opening her mouth to ask for a clarification when Guiche interrupts.

"I have a familiar too! Do you want to see it?"

"I wasn't talking to you, and no, I don't want to see your familiar. Moreover, do you actually have one?"

"Of course I have one. Everyone in their second year has one" he says, apparently feeling insulted. Sachiko shrugs.

"I have no interest."

"You will just love it, Verdandi!" he calls, once again ignoring Sachiko. She growls, but is taken aback when a brown thing suddenly appears from a corner of the lobby. Where was this thing hiding? "This is Verdandi, my familiar. Isn't he adorable?"

"What the heck is that thing?" Sachiko asks, leaning closer. Guiche huffs.

"It's not a thing, it's Verdandi! Are you alright, my cute Verdandi? Following us all the way from the academy underground didn't tire you, right?"

The brown creature shakes its head. Guiche hugs it and rubs his cheek against it, calling it cute and all sort of other stuff Sachiko can barely believe. She squints her eyes at the thing, and after a few moments of observing it, can finally put a name to the creature.

"Is that a giant mole?" she asks, astounded. Kirche sighs.

"Even after we said you couldn't bring it with us. We're going to Albion, how do you expect your familiar to follow us there?"

"Hey, you have a dragon, so telling me that when you can easily carry him with us is just selfish of you. Besides, we didn't know we were going to Albion first. We only followed your sweetheart."

Guiche has a smart grin. Kirche narrows her eyes, looking at him with a dangerous expression. _So Guiche also knows Kirche likes Louis…_ Sachiko thinks with bemusement. She kneels down and looks at the mole more closely. It has a big nose and shiny eyes. Those eyes turn to look at her when she extends a hand to caress its head.

"I guess it's kinda nice, in an ugly-cute sort of way…"

"Verdandi is the cutest familiar in the world!"

 _If only Louis thought of me like that…_ Sachiko frowns. Wherever that thought came from? Just in that moment, Verdandi's nose catches a smell. He starts to sniff Sachiko, getting closer and closer while the girl just tries to get away.

"H-hey, Guiche, what is your familiar doing?"

"Well… do you have some jewel on you?" he asks, putting a hand under his chin. Sachiko raises her right hand, where the ring is placed. "I see. Verdandi loves jewels; he always looks for them for me, since I'm an earth mage" the mole decides to go even closer to Sachiko, and climbs on top of her, making her fall. She yelps.

"Ah! Guiche, your mole is trying to attack me! Eh… no! Stop it, don't touch me!" she tries to get away, since the mole is now sniffling her all over, but the more she fights, the more Verdandi seems determined to find the object of its search. With its nose, the parka is lifted, showing the white skin of her belly, and only going higher; "Guiche! Do something!"

"Ah, yes, right away…" he's blushing at the sight. Rolling her eyes, Kirche hits him on the head while Tabitha uses her staff to blow Verdandi away, its body clashing with a column on the other side of the lobby. "Ouch, what do you think you're doing? My Verdandi!" he strokes his head and runs to his familiar.

Kirche passes a hand to Sachiko. "Are you alright?"

"Yes" she accepts Kirche's help and stands up; "thanks."

"Verdandi!" Guiche cries out. The three girls ignore him.

"By the way, where's Flame? Didn't he come with you?" Sachiko asks, noticing the salamander is nowhere in sight. Kirche shakes her head.

"I left him in the academy, for safety reasons."

"Safety reasons?"

"Yes, right now he's…" she closes her eyes for a second, concentrating, before opening them again; "taking a nap. I think in half an hour he'll start looking for food."

"Wait, you know what Flame is doing right now?" Sachiko asks with surprise.

"Of course, he's my familiar after all. I just have to use our bond to sense where he is and what he's doing."

"So, do you think I can do something similar with Louis?" that would be an awesome power. Kirche ponders a little, a finger on her lips.

"I don't know. I mean; the bond between master and familiar varies depending on the individual. Tabitha for example can't sense what Sylphid does" Sylphid is the name of Tabitha's dragon. Sachiko looks at her, but the girl keeps reading, not looking at them. "Besides, I have no idea if you, as a familiar, can sense what your master is doing."

"It's worth a shot though" she closes her eyes and concentrates. _Louis, Louis, Louis…_ she thinks; taking out her tongue at the effort.

"What's going on here?"

"I can hear his voice!" Sachiko says happily, before turning to the entrance. "Ah no, he's here…"

"What is that creature there? And why is Guiche crying over it? And you, just what are you doing?" Louis has returned, Wardes close behind him. Sachiko lets out an embarrassed laugh.

"Ah, well, you see… that's Guiche's familiar and…"

"Let's talk about this later" Wardes interrupts, going to sit at a table. The group quickly follows his lead. Guiche is cradling Verdandi tenderly, tears in his eyes. "The ship for Albion leaves the day after tomorrow, so we'll have to stay two nights here" he explains.

"Even though this mission is very urgent…" Louis points out.

"Why are there no ships tomorrow?" Kirche asks curiously.

"The moons will overlap tomorrow, so Albion will be closest to the continent then."

 _What do the moons have to do with this?_ She knows Earth's moon has an effect on the tide, but what does that have to do with the distance of an island to the continent?

"Anyway, I'll give you the keys" he takes them out of his pocket and places them on the table. "Kirche and Tabitha one room, Guiche and Sachiko another…"

"Huh?!" three voices say simultaneously. Those are Louis, Guiche and Sachiko. Sachiko stands up.

"I refuse to share a room with this guy and his mole!"

"Hey! What did Verdandi ever do to you?"

"Are you serious?!"

"Wardes, Sachiko is my familiar so…"

The viscount stops their complaints by raising a hand. "I'm aware of that, but I arranged it this way because I need to talk with Louis about something important. Besides" he smiles at Guiche and Sachiko "you two seem to get along pretty well. I don't think it should be a problem, right?" more than a question, it sounds like an order for them. Sachiko puffs her cheeks but says nothing. Guiche just blushes and lowers his head submissively. Louis is not as compliant.

"If that's the case, then Sachiko can sleep with Kirche and Tabitha."

"Every room has two beds. Wouldn't she be more comfortable with one of her own instead of sharing with the girls?"

"But…!"

"It's alright Louis" Sachiko says; "it's just the place where I sleep."

"Yeah, it's not like I would do something to her" Guiche adds with a roll of his eyes. Louis looks at him with distrust, but in the end, there's nothing he can do about it. His shoulders sagging, he gives up with a sigh.

* * *

"I want the bed near the window!" Guiche says as soon as they enter the room, jumping on the king sized bed placed next to the balcony. Sachiko shakes her head at his childish behavior and lets her body fall on top of her bed. With a happy hum, she hugs the pillow to her chest, remembering this is the first time since she was summoned she has a bed of her own.

"I'm going to sleep so well tonight…"

"Hey, don't fall asleep, I'll get bored" she feels a weight on the mattress and opens her eyes with a start. Guiche is kneeling on the bed, almost on top of her; "oh good, now before you sleep…"

"Get off!" she pushes him, and once he's on the floor, proceeds to hit him with the pillow. "Don't get near me! I only accepted being in the same room with you because the Viscount requested it!"

"Argh, what's wrong with you?! Stop hitting me!"

"That should be my question!" she puts the pillow aside and sits on the bed, crossing her arms. Guiche is mumbling angrily while still on the floor. "What do you want from me? Why did you have to follow me all the way here?"

"I didn't have to, I just wanted to…"

"Exactly! So my question remains: why?!"

"…" he bites his lips, looks down, scratches the back of his neck; "I'm just… I don't know, I feel draw to you, for some reason…"

"Get off my sight."

"But not in the way you think!" he hastily clarifies. "Really, you're far from my type, so you don't have to worry about that."

"Then what do you mean?" she involuntarily relaxes at his answer, her arms resting at her sides now and a small frown between her brows. Guiche shrugs.

"Wasn't I clear that day after the duel? You impressed me. I never thought a commoner could defeat me in a duel, but more than that… is your determination. And…" he blushes, turning his face to the side; "I've also been thinking… I guess I do owe you an apology, for almost killing you…"

"That should have been the first thing to do, actually."

"Not really" Sachiko frowns, but Guiche continues before she can say anything; "so that's how it is. What I did weights in my conscience and I don't think I'll be able to sleep peacefully again if I don't take it out of my chest."

"So the roses and stalking…"

"I've never stalked you!"

"Sending me roses every single day can be considered a form of stalking."

"…I'm sorry."

He hangs his head, looking truly regretful. Sachiko stares at him for a long moment. Really, if he wanted her to forgive him, he should have said so from the beginning. She sighs, kneeling next to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. He looks at her with surprise.

"I… kinda looked for a fight myself" it's difficult to say this, but she forces herself. She needs to clear things out once and for all. "I understand you couldn't back off once it began so… maybe one day we can become friends."

She gives him a small smile, hoping to be soothing. Guiche looks at her without blinking, making her feel uncomfortable, and she has to turn her eyes away, feeling a small blush spreading on her face. Then, out of nowhere, he grabs her chin with his fingers and leans in for a kiss. Without thinking, Sachiko takes the pillow from the bed and starts hitting him again.

"You bastard! Didn't you say I wasn't your type?!"

"Ouch, hey, stop! It's not my fault! You can't expect a man not to do anything when you make that kind of expression!"

"Oh, so now it's _my_ fault!"

Their little fight is stopped when they hear someone knocking on the door. They look at each other, before Sachiko stands up and goes to open it. At the other side, a smirking Kirche along with a still in pajamas Tabitha stand.

"What, no one dead still? From outside it sounded like Sachiko was crushing Guiche's head against the wall" she jokes before stepping in, Tabitha following her. Sachiko takes a step back to let them enter, and closes the door.

"Let's not talk about that. Anyway, why are you here?" she asks with curiosity. Tabitha sits on her bed, her eyes focused on her book, while Kirche positions herself in the middle of the room, her arms folded. She smiles mischievously.

"Don't you want to know what the 'important thing' the Viscount wants to talk with Louis is? Because I surely do" she says, looking at each of them. Guiche frowns, dusting himself off as he stands up.

"Whatever it is, it's none of our business. You shouldn't think about it" he answers, but Kirche simply shrugs it off.

"Come on! I'm curious! You can't tell me there's not a single part of you that doesn't want to know what's going on!" she exclaims. Guiche shakes his head.

"Maybe, but even so…"

"I think I have an idea of what it is" Sachiko interrupts in a pensive tone, and everyone turn to look at her; "though I'll like to confirm it." Kirche smirks.

"I knew you would agree with me. You'll have to tell me what your idea is…"

"Wait; don't tell me you're going to eavesdrop!" Guiche exclaims, letting his eyes open in shock.

"Not eavesdropping, just… information recollection, you can call it that."

"You three are really terrible" he says with a sigh. Kirche lifts an eyebrow.

"Us three? Guiche, I know as good as you that you're also dying to know what those two are talking about, so just stop pretending and come with us. If you don't, we're not telling you later, no matter how much you beg" she declares. The two look at each other in defiance, Guiche with a frown and Kirche smirking, before he starts to tremble and finally crumbles to the floor.

"Alright, I want to know, let's just go already!" he says. Kirche laughs and Sachiko rolls her eyes.

"Good. Let's get going then."

* * *

"I notice you very anxious" Wardes says as he pours wine in two glasses. Louis shrugs, dismissing his words even though he has been fidgeting for the last fifteen minutes, his eyes sliding to the door every few seconds.

"I don't know what you're talking about" he says quickly. Wardes raises an eyebrow.

"If you say so" he hands him one of the glasses, which Louis accepts with a small nod of thanks. "Is it because your familiar is sleeping with Mr. Gramont?"

Louis was about to sip some of the wine, but luckily stops with the glass a few centimeters from his mouth; otherwise he would have spit it in surprise. "What are you talking about? I don't care about them at all."

"Sure, that's the reason you were so opposed to them sharing a room."

"Sachiko is my familiar, it's only natural she stays close to me."

"If she had slept with Kirche and Tabitha she wouldn't have been close to you either."

"I don't trust Guiche" he finally admits, putting down the glass on the table. He's sitting on a small couch, Wardes across from him in another. Their bedroom is a little more high-class than the ones from the others. "I don't want him near her."

"And it has nothing to do with the fact he's a guy?"

"What are you implying?" he senses what it is, and the thought makes him frown… and blush a little. Wardes shrugs.

"Sachiko is really pretty. I've never seen a girl with her features, but that's what makes her charming."

"Oh…" he narrows his eyes, clenching his hands until his knuckles turn white; "is that so…"

"Are you jealous?" his tone is full of amusement. Louis snorts, ignoring the heat that's accumulating on his face.

"Of what exactly? She's just a familiar, there's nothing special about her."

"I beg to disagree. She looks like quite an interesting person."

Louis stands up, glaring at him. "I get it now. You got close to her on purpose. And I thought she was the one getting ahead of herself."

"You can't blame me. You know I love seeing your reactions, and you looked pretty bothered when I pulled her to the griffin with me" he grins, making Louis roll his eyes.

"I should have seen it coming. You've been like this since I can remember."

"And you've been like this since I've met you. I'm glad you haven't changed much in the six years we didn't see each other."

"There wasn't much to change, really."

"Oh, but one thing is different for sure" Louis frowns, but by Wardes' grin, he knows what he's going to say before the words leave his mouth. "You weren't so interested in girls the last time I saw you."

"I knew you were going to say that, I just knew it…"

"What do you think they're doing now? And answer honestly. Do you really think they would… engage in such activities at a moment like this?"

"If they do I'll kill them!" he says in a loud growl, unconsciously starting to pace around the big room. "Especially Guiche! He's been bothering her all this time behind my back! Who does he think he is to send roses to my familiar? What right does he think he has to follow us all the way here simply because she's with us?!"

"You haven't answered yet."

"I don't know!" he stops pacing, throwing his arms up in the air impatiently. "And I sincerely don't want to think about it! I just know I want him as far away from Sachiko as possible! She's mine! He can't have her!"

Wardes laughs, making Louis feel embarrassed at his own words. He didn't mean anything strange with them. It's just how things are. Sachiko is his familiar, so it's natural that she belongs to him. But for some reason, the thought of her depending on anyone else but him was really annoying, to the point he felt like hitting someone. It wasn't like that before, but lately, he's been imagining scenarios where he punches anyone who comes close to her and keeps her to himself. Especially that black-haired servant she always hangs out with. And now Guiche.

"It's strange though" Wardes interrupts his thoughts. He looks at him; "I always thought it was the princess who held your heart."

Louis scowls at this. "Henrietta is just a friend, and Sachiko doesn't 'hold my heart'" but some part of him scoffs at the last bit. He immediately shushes that part with irritation.

"I heard you were intended to marry the princess in the past."

"My father's idea" he sits down again and takes the glass, finally taking a few sips from it, glad at the change of topic. "Since we are childhood friends, he saw it as a good opportunity. Of course, the court and the king weren't too inclined to the idea considering my lack of magic. Regardless of my title they couldn't allow the princess to marry someone like me and having me becoming king. By the way, this is a good wine."

"The finest from Albion, I've been told, and what you say is ridiculous."

" _Please_ " he finishes the glass in one gulp and reaches for the bottle to pour himself another one; "my family may still be blinded by useless hope, but you and I know better. What good is training night and day with a sword, getting better in combat or studying if it won't change the fact I'm not suitable to be a noble, more so a duke or, gods forbid, the king?" he has to roll his eyes at the last word. "In the end, it's nothing more but overcompensating, and with the way I am, that's just as good as giving a dress to a monkey and call it a lady."

"You're too hard on yourself" Louis shakes his head.

"I am a failure. I already accepted that."

"I don't think like that" Wardes says, earning a look of disbelief from Louis. "You are not a failure. Personally, I think you have a great magical power within you, you just need to practice it…"

"As if I haven't been doing that my whole life! You know how it always ends: with an explosion."

"That's exactly what I'm referring to: the explosions" Louis frowns, so Wardes quickly explains. "No one else besides you can do that. That's not some kind of magic from the four branches, I can assure you, what drives me to believe that perhaps, you have a special ability, something no one else possesses."

His words make him tense involuntarily. He thinks about the void, before shaking his head. "You're imagining things."

"Let's talk about your familiar again. This afternoon, I had a very interesting conversation with her. I noticed the runes in her hand, and after asking her, she told me she is Gandálfr."

"…" he puts down the glass again, because if he doesn't he might spill the contents with how much he's shaking. She told someone. Even if it's Wardes, she told someone without consulting him first. How can she be so careless? "They could just be very similar. It doesn't mean what you think they mean."

"Well, I must admit she wasn't sure herself if she was Gandálfr, but the confirmation came later, when we were ambushed. She grabbed that sword of hers and the runes glowed. I don't need any other proof than that to confirm my suspicions: Louis, you have the void."

He wasn't asking. He was stating it with an awful lot of confidence. And Louis could think of nothing to deny it. "I don't think… I really don't believe… I mean, I have always been considered a failure. I'm just a zero, everyone says so…"

"Everybody's an idiot! They don't know what they're talking about!" Wardes yells as he stands up, shocking Louis at the intensity of his words. "I just have this feeling… that you'll become a mage who will leave your name in history, just like Founder Brimir!" he speaks with fervor. Louis can only look at him with his mouth open.

"Wardes…?" the young man asks, taken aback by his imposing attitude. Wardes blinks then, like he had just woken up from a dream, and eyes Louis apologetically.

"I'm sorry. What I'm trying to say is that, right now, you shouldn't worry about your magic" he walks up to the sofa Louis is sitting on and sits on the other end, close enough but keeping his distance. "We'll have time to explore it later. Right now, it's time I tell you what I wanted to say from the beginning."

"…And what would that be?" Louis is a little wary now. He chastises himself in his mind. This is Wardes, there's no reason to feel suspicious of him. Even if he's acting a little weird.

"What are your plans for the future?" the question is so off topic Louis feels disconcerted for a moment. He swirls the wine in the glass, thinking.

"Succeed my father."

"Is that what you truly want?"

"It is my duty."

"But do you want to?"

"…I don't know. It's what my parents expect of me, but sincerely, Eleonore would do a much better job as duchess than I ever could. However, there's nothing else for me."

"I don't think so" Louis looks at him with a frown. "You have great abilities Louis. Someone like you would be wasted as merely a duke. You should aim higher."

"How much higher? I have no interest in becoming king or being powerful. You know it would be a lost cause even if I did want it."

"No, that's not it. Don't you want to do great things? Change the course of the world… with your power you could do it."

"You mean… getting into the griffin corps?" he's getting more and more confused the more Wardes speaks. Is he inciting him to renounce to his name and title to become a member of the Imperial Guards? "With or without the void, there's no way someone without magic like me would ever be accepted…"

"Not the griffin corps. After this mission is over, I plan to leave Tristain."

"What?!" the news greatly surprise Louis. Why would Wardes do that? Why waste years of effort, just to leave everything he worked so hard for behind? Wardes sighs. His eyes suddenly become sad, looking at him with something akin to longing. Without thinking, he grabs one of Louis' hands.

"When this mission is over, I want you to come with me."

"Where?"

"To make things right again."

* * *

"What did they say? I can't hear a thing!" Kirche complains while moving around, as if a better view would proportionate the words she can't hear. Sachiko frowns.

"Kirche, please, if you keep moving we're going to fall" she warns. Guiche sighs.

"I knew this wasn't a good idea…"

"Oh, shut up!" the two females shush him, glaring at him. Guiche puffs his cheeks and folds his arms, looking away. Kirche growls.

"Did they use some kind of silence spell? Great! This is totally useless!"

"If only I could read their lips…" Sachiko murmurs. She looks down at Tabitha, who is calmly reading a book on the ground, leaning against a tree. They themselves are doing their best to maintain their balance while on the windowsill. She sighs dramatically. "Maybe it would be better if we just leave it…"

"Aren't they a little too close?" Guiche asks out of nowhere. Sachiko immediately looks up, and has to contain a squeal of delight. The two nobles eye her with confusion.

"What's wrong?" Kirche asks, looking between her and the pair inside the room. She lifts an eyebrow once the pieces start to connect, and gives her a mischievous grin. "Oh, I didn't know our little Sachiko was into this kind of thing."

"What kind of thing? What's happening?" inquires Guiche, but they ignore him. Sachiko blushes.

"N-no, I mean, it's just…"

"Sitting together, Louis looking sheepishly at the floor, and the Viscount holding his hands… I think I know perfectly what's going on" she folds her arms, a smug look on her face. Guiche frowns.

"Excuse me, but I want to-"

"O-okay, you're right, happy now?! But I can't help it! I mean, don't you think it would be just…" she stops; and this time gives out a little squeal after seeing Wardes putting away a lock of hair from Louis' forehead. Louis blushes, and looks at the side but doesn't try to get away from him. Guiche gasps in realization.

"So you're-!" he screams. Kirche rapidly jumps between him and Sachiko and puts a hand on his mouth.

"Stay quiet! You want them to know we're here?!" she whispers heatedly.

"Hey! Kirche, I can't see, move!"

"Do you want to be discovered as well?"

"No, but there's not a lot of space here, you know? So please, move already."

"Alright, alright, but first, promise you won't scream, got it Guiche?" she requests sternly. Guiche nods, starting to become blue for lack of oxygen, and Kirche finally releases him. He takes big mouthfuls of air and glares at her.

"What is your problem? Actually, what is wrong with the two of you?" he asks, looking from Kirche to Sachiko. The Japanese girl blushes, but nonetheless speaks firmly.

"Just let me enjoy the show for a little bit, ok?"

"Show? You actually like seeing two guys together?!"

"Yes, it's really alluring" she says matter-of-factly, before going back to look at the pair. Guiche looks dumbstruck, while Kirche chuckles slightly.

"Mmm, you may be right. Seeing it this way, it is kind of alluring, in an odd way…"

"I knew you'd understand."

"You two are crazy…" Guiche shakes his head, earning an annoyed glare from Sachiko.

"I'm of the opinion there's nothing sexier than two hot guys all over each other, and I won't let you tell me otherwise."

"I've never imagined Louis like this. Maybe it makes a little sense. He always rejects all the girls trying something with him. I still would like to know what they're talking about though, if it gets them like this."

"That doesn't matter anymore. If you concentrate enough, can't you hear their declaration of love?" Sachiko swoons, and while Guiche looks more and more disgusted, Kirche can't help but be amused at the situation. She puts a hand under her chin.

"Mmm, yes; Louis would totally work as bottom, too."

"Exactly! Though it's kind of difficult. I mean, with his appearance, you'll kind of expect him to be bottom always, but seeing his character, it would be a little troublesome if the other party wasn't strong enough."

"Of course, Viscount Wardes can keep up with Louis' personality. He's the absolute top in that relationship. Besides, isn't there something enticing about a strong-willed person being so submissive to other with a stronger air?"

"Yes, knowing that he will not bow down to anyone, except that special person. That only he can make him feel so vulnerable and loved enough to–"

"Ok, that's it! Enough!" Guiche interrupts, his voice low, while looking at the two girls as if they're completely out of their minds. "I really can't believe you're discussing… that, and about two men, of all things!" he says with indignation. Kirche scoffs.

"Please, stop acting offended just because you know you'll be bottom with Louis" she counters in a devious tone. Guiche blushes scarlet and Sachiko has to cover up her mouth to muffle the laugh it inevitably escaped her.

"Don't make things up, you vile woman!" he says in a splendidly high-pitched voice, which just elicits more laughs from the two females at his side. He growls. "And besides, why would I even be bottom with Louis, I'm taller than him!" he complains, much to the girls amusement.

"Come on! There's no way Louis would ever let you top him! Of course you'll be bottom" Sachiko says, crossing her arms. Kirche nods in agreement.

"And with Viscount Wardes? He's top with Louis, isn't he?"

"You really think you'll be able to be top with the Viscount when you can't with Louis?" Sachiko asks derisively, an eyebrow rose.

"But I don't want to be bottom! I refuse being bottom!" he says, closing his eyes and yelling to the skies. In that same moment, the window opens. The three rapidly turn to see a very angry Louis watching them with twitching eyebrows.

"What are you doing here?" he asks in a low, threatening voice. Though the question is directed to all of them, he's looking solely at Sachiko. She gulps, and as she can, tries to hide behind Kirche. She doesn't feel safer though.

"Oh, nothing, we were only discussing what your role would be in a guy-guy relationship. Sachiko was just now saying that you looked like an ideal bottom when paired up with the Viscount" Kirche says, pointing nonchalantly to the girl hiding behind her. Sachiko freezes immediately after hearing that, her brain automatically disconnecting from her body, leaving her completely blank.

"W-w-w-w-ha-hat?! Bo-bottom?!" Louis is completely red. His entire body is shaking with fury. The redhead just laughs, making a gesture as if to downplay the situation.

"If it makes you feel better, Sachiko said you'll totally top Guiche. Though he doesn't look too happy about it" she adds the cherry to the sundae. Before Sachiko can even think of an excuse, she finds herself falling to the ground, _from the second floor_ , and lands in a not very delicate way on her back. She opens her eyes and looks at Louis, who has one leg raised, obviously having just kicked her from the windowsill. She groans.

"What is wrong with you?! I could have broken my neck and die!" she screams, trying her best to lift herself. Tabitha leaves her book and helps her; and Kirche and Guiche rapidly go down as well. Louis laughs bitterly.

"I wish, that way you would stop being such a nuisance once and for all, you stupid perverted dog!" he shouts, and then shuts the window with enough force to leave it shaking on its hinges. Sachiko stares, dumbfounded, just before anger takes her over completely.

"I can't believe it! Did you just wish I die?! Well, you know what? Fuck you!" she shouts as well, letting Kirche and Guiche take her weight and guiding her to her room. Guiche clicks his tongue disapprovingly.

"Such a rotten tongue, but I have to admit, that was really dangerous. And all thanks to you, Kirche" he looks accusingly at the redhead next to him. Kirche averts his gaze, feeling sheepish, and mumbles under her breath:

"W-well, sorry, I was just trying to have fun. I didn't think…"

"It doesn't matter" Sachiko interrupts, sighing. She separates from them and stands on her own, moving her legs and arms to verify everything is in order. She nods after a while, and starts to walk on her own, the other three following her. "I'll make sure to settle accounts with him later."

"You look… pretty calm after what he did to you" Kirche says with surprise. Sachiko shrugs.

"I'm starting to know him better, that's all."

"You're Louis' familiar, but even like that he has to comprehend you're still a woman, and he can't just go beating you as he pleases. Right, Tabitha?" Kirche turns to her blue-haired friend, who gives her a short nod. Guiche also nods, standing next to Sachiko.

"That's right! Beating a woman is unforgivable!" he exclaims. Sachiko smirks.

"Are you talking about yourself?" she couldn't stop herself from asking, and Guiche goes to a corner to sob about it. They ignore him and continue their way, "but really, it's not like he beats me up daily. But thank you all. You don't have to worry about me though. I know how to take care of myself" she winks at them. Kirche, Guiche and Tabitha look at each other, before smiling. They return to their rooms.

* * *

 _That woman, really, thinking those things, just who does she think she is? And then insulting me with such a… vulgar vocabulary. I shouldn't be feeling sorry for what I did, why am I even here?_ Louis thinks, deeply frowning while in front of Sachiko's door. He lifts his arm, but doesn't knock. For some reason, he's shaking. _What's wrong with me? She's just a stupid familiar. Come on, knock, say 'you're forgiven for last night, never do that again' and that's it! It's not something to feel nervous about…_ but even if he was thinking that, it wasn't easy. And his hand just wouldn't stop shaking...

He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. Trying not to think too much about it, he knocks, and waits patiently. Approximately one minute passes before Guiche opens the door, his face sleepy and groping one eye.

"Louis? What are you doing here so early in the morning?" he asks, giving a loud yawn. Louis winces. That isn't an appropriate attitude for a noble… he shakes his head, he's not here for this. Clearing his throat, he pushes past him.

"I came to talk to Sachiko. She… is not here" he says, a little surprised after seeing her empty bed. Guiche closes the door.

"Ehm, yeah. She isn't here, that's why I opened. Took me a whole minute to realize it" he says drowsily, throwing himself on the bed once again. Louis frowns.

"Do you know where she is?" he asks, turning to him. Guiche shrugs.

"I thought she'd probably go wash your clothes or something. Do you want to apologize for last night?" he asks, his eyes closed. Louis blushes.

"As if! Well, if she's not here, it's just a waste of time to remain in this place. Bye" he turns around and leaves the room, feeling a sudden burst of anger. Where did that girl go?

He goes to the bar, thinking she's probably having breakfast, but she isn't there. He searches in the lobby and public areas, before going out to the courtyard. Even if he doesn't want to admit it, he's starting to get a little worried…and irritated. Just where is she?!

The last place he searches is the parade ground. When he's approaching it, he hears voices, and immediately breaks in a run after hearing what he thinks is Wardes' voice. Now that he thinks about it, he hasn't seen him this morning in the room. He suddenly has a bad feeling, which is confirmed when the first thing he sees upon entering the parade ground is a feminine figure being thrown mercilessly against a pile of beer barrels. The empty barrels crush under her weight, and she gives a loud yelp of pain.

"Sachiko!" he yells, running to her after recognizing her voice. He kneels down next to her and takes his wand out on instinct, just to stop dead at seeing Wardes slowly walking towards them. It surprises him the sudden burst of fury that overwhelms him, and he unconsciously gives a low growl. "What is the meaning of this, Viscount?" he asks, surprised again at hearing the icy tone of his voice. Wardes is taken aback, but he immediately raises both hands, as if to prove his innocence, and says in a calm voice.

"I just wanted to test her abilities. We were dueling."

"Dueling?" he asks, the word feeling foreign in his mouth. In that moment, Sachiko stirs, and he diverts his attention back to her. "Sachiko, are you alright?" he tries to help her up, but she rapidly moves away. That gesture hurts him, but when he remembers it's probably because she's still mad for what happened yesterday, he frowns.

"I'm alright" she answers, laughing lightly. "Viscount Wardes came this morning and asked me if I wanted to duel with him. I said yes and here we are. By the way, you're incredible, ouch…" she laughs again, but this time with less cheerfulness and more pain. Louis' frown deepens.

"It's strange though, even though you're Gandálfr, your speed and movements are like those of any ordinary human. I shouldn't have used my full power on you."

"It's ok, I asked you to. I sincerely thought the runes would activate if I was in a life or death situation, but it didn't work…"

"Maybe because you unconsciously know I won't really hurt you" he kneels down and holds out his hand, but Louis quickly puts himself between them, stopping the older man from touching Sachiko.

"I'll take care of her. She's my familiar, after all" he says, positioning one arm under her back and lifting her. Sachiko blushes considerably at his contact, and looks away. Wardes just chuckles.

"Alright, I'm sorry for taking away your familiar Louis, but there's no need for you to be so angry" he chuckles again, and this time it's Louis' turn to blush. He mumbles something under his breath, before Derf's voice takes him out of his thoughts.

"Partner, you're bleeding" two pairs of eyes look at her immediately. Sachiko raises a hand and touches her forehead. It's sticky. She winces.

"Your head… you probably hit it really badly when you crashed with the barrels" Louis says. He stands up, taking her with him. Wardes follows them.

"I'm deeply sorry Sachiko, it wasn't my intention…"

"It's alright, you didn't do it in purpose" Sachiko says with what she hopes is a cheerful smile. Louis frowns once again, and takes her away from the parade ground, hoping Wardes won't follow them. He doesn't.

They arrive at the outer part of the hotel, in a big balcony with sights to the city. Louis makes Sachiko sit on the edge.

"Wait here, I'll see if I can find something to clean that wound" he says, and turns to leave. Sachiko stares at his retreating form until he's out of sight. She sighs.

"And I was planning to ignore him all day long…"

"He looks like he would crumble if you do that. That guy is starting to fall hard…"

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Sachiko looks at Derflinger in disbelief. The sword scoffs.

"I'm old enough to understand when a boy is falling for a girl."

"Don't be ridiculous, it's _Louis_ …"

"And he's starting to fall in love with you. Mark my words partner, mark my words."

"If he is, he has a weird way of showing it" she says, remembering last night. She shakes her head, pushing the ludicrous thought away, just in time to see him returning. He has a wooden box in his hands. "What is that?"

"A first-aid kit. They gave it to me in reception" he opens the box and takes out a small bottle and a clean cloth. He pours some of the liquid on the cloth, and brings it closer to her forehead. Sachiko closes her eyes instinctively, waiting to feel the sting of the alcohol, but instead, she just feels the cool sensation of the damp cloth against her skin. She opens her eyes again.

"What is that liquid?" she asks, looking at the bottle still on Louis' hand. He pours a little more on the cloth, and continues cleaning her wound.

"Curative water. It'll close your wound real fast" he purses his lips, apparently in thought, and after a little while, says: "I'm sorry for last night."

"Eh?" Sachiko looks up in surprise, before understanding what he means. She shrugs. "Apology accepted. Just try not to do something like that again."

"You're my familiar, I have to discipline you if your behavior is not good" he retorts, frowning a little. Sachiko frowns as well.

"Maybe… but it's not necessary to do it in such a dangerous way" she crosses her arms. Louis blinks, before rolling his eyes.

"It's not my fault if you just make me act that way" he responds in the same tone. Sachiko gasps.

"Huh? _I_ make you act that way? Come on, you get mad for the smallest of things! There is no way to get on your good side!" her voice raises quickly. Louis simply grunts.

"I'm trying to apologize! Can't you just accept it and be quiet afterwards?!"

"I accepted your apology already!"

"But you keep talking back!"

"Why do you have to make everything so difficult?!"

"I'm not…!" but he bites his tongue and continues cleaning the wound. "You shouldn't have accepted a duel with Wardes" he says after a while. Sachiko sighs.

"I can't continue like this. Even though I'm Gandálfr, I'm completely useless. The runes don't work anymore. Even when I hold Derf, they don't glow. I… I wanted to do something about it."

"And you thought fighting with Wardes was the way to go" Louis puts down the cloth and the bottle, and looks at her sternly. "I think I told you already, but I'll repeat it since your memory seems to be foggy: don't do something like that again. Even if the other person is someone you trust, if you know you don't stand a chance, don't fight. Is that clear?"

She glances down, her lower lip pushing out in a pout. "I get it, I won't do it anymore."

"I don't believe you."

"Hey!"

"But this is the best I can get for now" he sighs, closing the wooden box and looking at her. "Did you have breakfast already?"

"Eh?" Sachiko is a little surprised at the sudden question. She shakes her head. Louis nods.

"Good, let's go eat then, I'm hungry now" he turns around and leaves. Sachiko looks at his back, frowning with confusion. She thinks about Derf's words… "Don't stay there like an idiot, let's go eat!" he says when he notices she's not following him. Shaking her head, she dismisses any kind of thought that has to do with that and runs up to him. After all, she could think of few things more unlikely than Louis beginning to like her.

* * *

That night, the whole group reunites in the bar to have a few drinks. Sachiko is eyeing her glass of beer with pursed lips. She's not used to alcohol yet. Her parents never allowed her to get close to anything that resembled alcohol, believing she would not be able to tolerate it. She looks at Louis, and to her surprise, he's making a face, taking just small sips and trembling every time he gulps down some of the liquid. He was the first to complain when the shopkeeper told them he didn't have any more wine. Derflinger is leaning on the table next to her. She brought it with her after he complained he didn't want to be left alone in the room.

"So you slept all day today, I'm envious" she says to Guiche, raising the glass to her lips and drinking. She raises her eyebrows, looking at the beer in the glass. She actually likes it better than wine. She drinks a little more.

Guiche frowns. "I didn't sleep all day. You make me sound like a slouch."

"But that would mean you're well rested. We can count on you the moment we arrive in Albion" Wardes says. He's drinking his second glass of beer. Guiche blushes.

"I'll do my best."

"Talking about Albion" Kirche puts down her glass, eyeing Louis and the viscount with narrowed eyes; "you really can't tell us what the mission is about? Why do you have to go to Albion while the civil war is going on?"

"Zerbst, I told you already, it's none of your business" Louis says sternly, folding his arms. "You were not even supposed to be here in the first place. Be grateful Wardes has allowed you three to stay, and don't ask for anything more."

"You're as unbearable as always, Vallière!"

"Then, can I ask something?" Guiche raises his hand, as if he's in class. Louis rolls his eyes.

"It depends; it has something to do with the mission?"

"Yes, but I don't need to know what her highness asked of you. Since Albion is in a state of war, what are we going to do once we reach our destination? I mean, wherever we are supposed to go from there, won't it be difficult considering the nobility has taken over all ports?"

"That's a good question" Wardes nods, putting down his glass. "I already have a plan, so you don't have to worry about it. But I won't tell you just yet. Let's wait for the moment we're reaching Al-"

He is interrupted by the sound of breaking glass and people screaming. In a few seconds, the tavern is drowning in chaos.

"What's going on?" Sachiko stands up, just in time to see a cloud of arrows flying in her direction. She shrinks in fear, but Wardes and Tabitha save her, blowing the arrows away. Kirche also stands up, throwing the table to the side and urging them to hide behind it.

"Do you think they're the nobles from Albion?" Louis asks. Wardes looks out, but retreats just before an arrow flies next to his ear.

"Nobles wouldn't use arrows, but I do think they were sent from Albion."

"They're letting the other patrons leave" Guiche says, confirming their suspicions. Kirche is repelling some attacks with spells. She can barely look out without a rain of arrows flying towards her. On the other hand, Tabitha remains calm. She's still reading her book. "I'll use my valkyries against them!"

"Stop joking! You only have a few valkyries and they greatly outnumber us!" Kirche says, grabbing his sleeve and pulling him down when he's about to stand up.

"I am the fourth son of General Gramont! I won't lose to a band of mercenaries!"

"I know more about battle than you do, so shut up and just listen!"

Louis grits his teeth. He looks at Wardes worriedly. "Someone leaked the information that we were going to Albion. No one was supposed to know and yet they sent mercenaries after us."

"I'm wondering that too, but it doesn't matter right now, the way things are, we have to leave now."

"But how? They're blocking the exit!" Sachiko hugs Derflinger, just the weight of the sword enough to give her the illusion of safety. She closes her eyes and touches the hilt, but when she opens them again… nothing. _If not even in this situation will they glow then when?_

Wardes thinks for a second. He looks at the five of them. "If we want this mission to be successful, we'll have to separate. Otherwise, they'll keep attacking us and we'll never be able to leave this place" he says in a firm voice. Sachiko turns to him, her eyes open wide.

"You can't be serious" she says, but to her further surprise, Tabitha closes her book, and with her staff, points at herself, Kirche and Guiche.

"Bait" she utters, her voice soft, barely there. Is the first time Sachiko has ever heard her say anything.

Wardes nods. "Then, we three will go to the harbor" Tabitha nods, but Sachiko shakes her head.

"No! We can't leave you behind!" she says. Kirche sighs.

"Can't help it, right? Whatever, we didn't want to go to Albion with you, anyway" she says, passing a hand through her hair. Guiche sniffs his rose.

"I'll show you father. I'll make you proud."

Tabitha nods at Sachiko; "go."

"B-but…"

"Let's not lose more time! If you distract them we can leave by the backdoor and reach the pier!"

"Come on Sachiko" Louis takes her hand. Kirche puts a hand on his arm before they can fully stand up. "What do you want Zerbst?"

She smiles, before pulling him to her and kissing him on the lips. For a moment they're all paralyzed at the sight, Louis with his eyes wide open and Sachiko with her jaw slack. Kirche pulls away softly and looks at him tenderly.

"Just for luck, now I feel reenergized!" she softly pushes Louis away; "now go! And when you come back I'll give you another kiss!"

"Y-You… w-w-why…"

"Louis, let's go!" this time is Wardes who grabs his arm and drags him, while Sachiko can just follow them, as shocked as Louis. A wave of arrows flies towards them, but thanks to Tabitha, who waves her staff just in time, they continue unscathed. When they're in the kitchen, they hear a big explosion. "It has begun" Wardes mouths. He leans his ear against the outside door.

"Um, Louis…" Sachiko touches his arm. He blinks, before shaking his head and wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"She knows I hate when she does that. At least she didn't use her tongue this time…"

"She always does this?" Louis blushes and looks at Wardes, ignoring her. She pouts but doesn't insist. Now is not the moment.

"There seems to be no one" Wardes says and opens the door. He goes out, Louis and Sachiko following him. Indeed, the dark streets are completely deserted. It seems like everyone else is at the front, in the bar, watching attentively the combat taking place there. "The pier is over there" he indicates a narrow street. Sachiko stands close to Louis, feeling a little safer with him near.

She briefly wonders why they seem to be going up when they're supposed to go to the pier.

* * *

 **A/N: Sachiko is a hardcore fujoshi don't even try to lie. But I apologize for the crappy attempt at humor. I'm not a fan of yaoi, even though I don't dislike it (I can think of only one yaoi anime I like) but I'm not sure if Sachiko's behavior is the one expected of a yaoi fangirl. I didn't want to use the terminology 'uke' and 'seme' either, even though it had the same result...**

 **Is Guiche's behavior explained now? Or did I do a horrible job?**


	12. Chapter 11: Albion - The Dying Country

**.**

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 11: Albion - The Dying Country**

 **...**

They go up a flight of stairs, further confusing Sachiko as of the location of the harbor. She's hardly catching up. She has the weight of Derflinger plus lack of physical condition to make it harder for her to keep up with both Louis and Wardes.

"How… how much…" she says between breaths. She hopes they arrive soon. Fortunately, just as she's sucking in air to continue her question, they reach the harbor. For a second she's frozen at the sight. A giant tree with a thousand branches extends as far as the eye can see. She looks up, arching her neck as her mouth falls open. The top of the tree is lost between the clouds. Even from this distance she can see the leaves are enormous. She gulps down, unable to conceal her awe, more so when, between the leaves, she sees a ship stationed there.

"Come on, don't stay behind!" Louis holds her hand and drags her towards the roots of the tree, so big someone could make a house in them. She shakes her head to free herself from the stupor and looks at Louis.

"Is this the harbor?" her voice is laced with urgency. Louis looks at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, why you ask?"

"It's a tree! And ships are just… floating there!"

"Isn't like this in your world?"

"No! Ships sail on water, not on air!"

"If a ship can sail on water, it can also sail on air."

"What kind of logic is that?!"

Before she notices it, they're going up another flight of stairs, surrounding the tree and hugging it like ivy. It's reinforced with scaffolds but Sachiko doesn't feel safe. She refuses to look down as they pass metal signs between platforms with words on them, which Sachiko think may function in the same way as signs for a train station.

She huffs, her sides beginning to hurt and her vision getting a bit fuzzy. Louis is not holding her hand anymore, but he has positioned himself behind her, his hand on her back gently pushing her upwards. "I need to rest…" she says breathlessly.

"Hold on a little more, we're almost there" she nods at Louis' encouragement and continues. A second later, she hears a scream and she can't feel Louis' touch anymore. She turns around in time to see a masked man holding Louis, a hand over his mouth. His face is covered by a mask, and his long cloak envelopes his figure completely. She panics.

"Viscount!" she calls out for help. The mysterious man jumps from the platform, taking Louis with him. Wardes is fast. In one second he has casted a spell and points it at the man, hitting him with a gust of wind and forcing him to release Louis; but while he manages to get a hold of the edge of one of the platforms, Louis doesn't, and he falls down to the ground far below; "Louis!"

Wardes jumps, catching Louis in midair and levitating, making Sachiko breath in relief. Everything happened in less than ten seconds. But the relief is briefly lived. The man jumps up with a spell and reaches the platform Sachiko is in. Glaring at him for what he did to Louis, Sachiko takes out Derflinger, praying for the runes to activate otherwise she'd be in trouble.

They glow, relieving Sachiko from her tiredness. She looks at them angrily. _Now, please remain like this and stop activating only when you feel like it!_

She waits for the man to attack first, waiting for an opening the way Louis told her to. He takes out a black wand from his robe and waves it. Sachiko feels the air around her getting colder, irritating her skin. "What is he doing?" she asks Derf.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, get on guard, it seems is going to be powerful" the sword warns. Sachiko does as told, raising Derflinger a little higher. At that moment, a deafening crack is heard, and lightning sprouts out of the man's wand, going directly towards Sachiko. "It's lightning cloud!" Derflinger cries, but it's too late. The lightning hits Sachiko directly, sending her flying towards the ground. She screams in pain, feeling a wave of electricity going through her body and burning her left wrist. She faints.

"SACHIKO!" Louis cries out, watching his familiar fall. Wardes rapidly puts a levitation spell on her, making her land safely on a lower platform. He turns to the man and recites the same spell from before, this time managing to thrown him to the ground, his body disappearing in the darkness below. Once they arrive at the platform, Louis runs towards Sachiko. He puts his ear near her chest, and breathes in relief after hearing her heart still beating. "You're alive, thank Brimir…" he's so happy he could cry. Sachiko slowly opens her eyes.

"Louis? What–? Ouch!" she moans in pain when she tries to stand up. Louis puts his arms around her back, helping her.

"That guy used 'lightning cloud', a really powerful wind spell" Derflinger tells her with concern. Wardes nods.

"Square class. You're really lucky to be alive, that spell usually kills" he explains, before eyeing Derflinger with curiosity; "it seems your sword neutralized most of the magic, though that's weird. Isn't it made of metal?"

"No idea. I forgot" Derflinger replies. Sachiko laughs lightly, though she's still in pain.

"So you saved me. Thanks Derf, you're the best" she hugs the sword to her chest tenderly. Louis frowns.

"Now's not the time for this. We have to hurry before that man comes back. Can you walk on your own?" he asks Sachiko, his face full of worry. Sachiko blushes and timidly looks away.

"Y-yes; let's go."

Though that was her answer, she finds it pretty difficult to move. Luckily, Louis helps her throughout the way, until they finally arrive at their destination, in the final flight of stairs. By that moment, she's starting to get a little dizzy, perhaps a side effect of the lightning spell, and because of that, doesn't hear much of Wardes' conversation with the captain of the ship. Something about sulfur and stones? Wind stones… whatever the hell that is. Once the ship finally starts to fly, however, Sachiko leans against one of the walls and lets her body fall to the ground. She moans.

"You don't feel too good, do you?" a voice asks right beside her. She opens her eyes and looks at Louis sitting next to her. She shakes her head.

"I'm tired…" her voice trails off. Louis sighs, wrapping one of his arms around her shoulders and leading her head to lean against his chest. Sachiko's eyes open wide in shock.

"Rest for tonight. Tomorrow we should be arriving at Albion" he says softly. Sachiko blushes but doesn't say anything, as she lets her eyes, once again, fall close, finding peace when she hears the rhythmical beating of his heart. In no time, she's completely asleep.

* * *

"Albion in sight!" someone yells, and it's because of this yell that Sachiko wakes up. She stirs and slowly sits up. Louis, who is still by her side, stands up, and helps Sachiko do the same. She rubs her eyes and goes to the side of the ship.

"Where is Albion?" she asks drowsily, seeing only clouds under the ship. Louis chuckles.

"Up there" he points above their heads. Sachiko's jaw falls. A giant island is floating in the sky. She can see the landscape, full of mountains and rivers that flow off the land. Clouds gather below the island, white and thick. She turns to Louis, still with her mouth agape, and he laughs at her expression. "Surprised?" he asks teasingly.

"I-I've never seen anything like this…"

"Albion, the floating continent, it is also known as 'The White Country'. It usually floats above the ocean, but once a month it passes over Halkeginia. That's when it's closer to us."

"The white country… why is it called like that?" she asks, still not taking her eyes away from the floating mass of land.

"Because of the clouds below. The water from the rivers flows off and becomes fog, giving Halkeginia its rainfall."

"Is that so…" she didn't know, but then again, why is she so surprised? She's on board a flying ship, in a different world with two moons, dragons, talking swords, and as the familiar of a mage. She should start getting used to this kind of things. "When I saw it on a map I thought it was an island on the ocean, not in the air…"

"It's usually depicted with clouds below, didn't you see them?"

"I thought it was the ocean current…"

"We should be disembarking in an hour and a half, give it or take."

"What are we going to do once we reach land?"

"I talked with Wardes yesterday, while you were sleeping. You don't have to worry about anything, just follow us, ok?" she nods; for some reason feeling embarrassed she had been sleeping when they discussed such an important thing. She looks to where Viscount Wardes is, wondering what plan he came up with. He's talking to one of the sailors, his griffin resting next to him. She doesn't remember when the beast boarded the ship.

Over his shoulder, Sachiko can see a small dot. She narrows her eyes, walking to the railing and leaning her body over it, trying to discern what the dot is. Louis looks at her curiously, standing next to her.

"You should be careful. You don't want to fall, do you?"

"Can you see that thing too?"

"Mmm" he bites his lips, also leaning on the railing; "I think it's a ship… I don't have a good feeling about this…"

"Ship approaching from starboard!" the look-out yells. It's approaching rapidly. Sachiko can now see the ship more clearly. The hull is painted black, around twenty cannons pointed at them. It's a warship. Wardes looks for the captain.

"Ask them if they are nobles or royalists."

"Is this bad?" Sachiko asks Louis. He sighs.

"It depends. I really hope they're royalists."

"The ship has no flags! They're pirates!" someone screams, plunging the whole crew into chaos. Sachiko looks at Louis fearfully.

"Ok… now it's bad…"

The ship reaches them in just a few seconds, flying in parallel with them. They fire a shot in front of them, the shockwave rumbling on Sachiko's ears as she winces painfully. Then, they raise another flag with four colors.

"They're asking us to stop!"

"My lord!" the captain asks Wardes for help, but he shakes his head.

"My magic is all being used on the ship. We can only do what they say" he says dryly. The captain mumbles angrily about a lost fortune and orders for the ship to stop. Once that is done, the pirates rapidly slide over the ship. They carry guns, axes and swords. Wardes' griffin wakes up from its slumber and growls, but in an instant its head is covered by blue smoke and falls to the deck again.

"So they also have mages…" Louis mumbles, standing in front of Sachiko and covering her with his body. She looks at him with surprise. "Stay behind me and don't try anything unnecessary, ok?"

"O-Ok…"

One of the pirates stands out above the others. His clothes are more elegant and he walks around the deck as if he owned the place. He's wearing a dirty shirt, opened and showing his well-toned chest and pectorals. He speaks up loudly and with a rough voice; "where is the captain?"

"Me" the captain raises his hand, shaking, but still trying to keep composure.

"What's the ship's name and what does it carry?" he asks, taking out his saber. The captain gulps.

"Tristain's _Marie Galante_. The cargo is sulfur" the pirates gasp with excitement and their leader sniggers. After threatening the captain a little more, he turns to Sachiko and company.

"Oho, we have noble guests" he walks towards them and stops right in front of Louis, eyeing Sachiko behind him with interest. Even though the pirate is taller than him, Louis straightens, glaring at him threateningly. "You…" he says, his eyes glinting for a second with what appears to be recognition, before shaking his head. "I'll deal with you later" he brusquely pushes Louis away and looks at Sachiko. He raises her chin with his fingers. "Look at this cutie. Would you like to be our dishwasher?" the other men laugh. Sachiko tries to get away, but before she can take a step back, Louis pushes the pirate away from her.

"Don't touch her, you low-life!" he yells. The man raises an eyebrow, regaining his balance, before exploding in laughter.

"Protective boyfriend, aren't you? What are you going to do about it?" he asks in a mocking voice, Louis growls and takes a step forward, but Wardes rapidly grabs his shoulder.

"Don't even think about it" he warns in a low voice. Louis shakes in anger, but he knows Wardes is right. When the pirate makes sure he has calmed down, he turns towards his men.

"Good. Alright, boys, take them all away. We can get a hell lot of ransom for this!" he bellows. As soon as he's gone, the other pirates approach them and make them head towards their ship. Louis stays close to Sachiko, grabbing her hand in a comforting gesture that surprises her, but manages to make her feel a little safer.

* * *

Since Wardes and Louis are nobles, they were taken to a different room than the rest of the crew, though more than a prison it looked like a simple warehouse with wine barrels and bags full of wheat and gunpowder. Louis' wand was confiscated, along with Wardes' sword and Derflinger, so they were allowed to keep their hands unrestrained. Sachiko sighs, leaning her head against one of the walls. She looks at her left arm thoughtfully, before raising her right hand to touch it. She hisses.

"It hurts you" Louis says, coming closer. Sachiko looks down.

"I'm sure it's nothing" she shrugs, but that gesture hurts her a lot more than she thought it would. She winces and Louis frowns.

"I'm sure it's not" he retorts and takes her hand. He makes her take off the parka and looks dumbfounded at the wound. The arm has a burn going all over from her wrist to her shoulder, and it's completely red, with some deeper scorches near the elbow and wrist. "So this is supposedly 'nothing'?!" he asks with sarcasm.

"Th-there's nothing we can do, so…"

"You're saying it again. Sachiko, this is bad, you need to take care of this burn as soon as possible!" he speaks in a louder voice. Wardes, who has been occupied examining the rest of the cabin they were in, comes closer, and gives a low whistle upon seeing Sachiko's wound.

"That looks terrible" he says. Louis turns to him.

"Wardes, can you do something about it?" he asks, gesturing with his hand. Wardes shakes his head.

"Without a wand, there's absolutely nothing I can do. Sorry."

"It's alright!" Sachiko interrupts, giving a shy smile, "it's not the first time I burn myself" she says, remembering all those times in home economics class when she would end up spilling hot water on herself, or accidentally forgive to turn off the oven and touch the hot bars. She was terrible in the kitchen, and so, had predicted that if someday she ended up living on her own, she would eat nothing but instant noodles, most probably. Of course, the gravity of her burns then and now were at completely different levels, but she doesn't want them to worry about her.

"Not the first time! I highly doubt you've burned yourself like this before!" Louis scoffs. He stands up and starts to loudly pound on the door, "someone, there's an injured person here, we need a water mage!" he shouts. Wardes stares at him in amusement, while Sachiko blushes. She extends her right arm.

"L-Louis, it's not that serious, you might anger them…" she says with worry. Louis glares at her.

"Like I care about that! And what are you saying? Didn't you see your arm? Of course is serious, if we don't treat it now it will leave a scar!"

"A scar's not nice, but it's not like I'm going to lose my arm…"

"If you don't worry about yourself, nobody else will!"

"But aren't you doing a terrific job about it right now, Louis?" Wardes intervenes, smirking. The young noble stops his shouting and blushes scarlet. He vehemently shakes his head.

"I-It's only because she's my familiar! A master needs to take care of his familiar!" he yells, though he's stuttering. Wardes chuckles while Sachiko looks at him with bemusement.

Suddenly the door opens and a fat pirate comes in. He looks down at the three of them, before talking. "The boss wants to see you."

Louis crosses his arms and stands straight, "we need a water mage, my familiar is hurt" he says instead. The fat pirate raises an eyebrow, before turning and ordering them to follow. Reluctantly, they comply, and walk through the narrow aisle. Another pirate, this one thinner and younger looking, is waiting outside. He smiles a crooked smile while speaking to them.

"So, are you nobles? If you are with the aristocratic faction of Albion, we can leave you in the closest port. We are pretty considerate to nobles, after all, is thanks to them our business is going well!" he laughs loudly. Sachiko's face lights up: there they have their way out! She's opening her mouth to answer affirmatively, but Louis beats her to it.

"No, we're not with those disgusting aristocrats! Don't even dare compare us to them! We're here on behalf of Tristain. In other words, we're ambassadors, so I demand you treat us as such!" he says firmly. Sachiko looks at him with her mouth open.

"Are you an idiot? They were going to let us go!" she whispers to him. Louis looks at her, his face showing disgust.

"Excuse me? Who are you calling an idiot? There's no way I'm going to say something as disgusting as that. Even if it's a lie, to say we're part of those dirty nobles…"

"But even so!"

Their conversation is interrupted when the young pirate laughs once again. "What an interesting pair you are. Anyway, anything you have to say now, better say it to the boss. We're here."

In front of them, there's a splendidly carved door. Sachiko thinks that such luxury is unbecoming of pirates. The door opens, leading them to an even more luxurious room, with a long, gorgeous dinner table. At the end of it, the 'boss' is sitting, playing nonchalantly with a cane that has a big crystal attached at the top of it. Seemingly, he is a mage himself. He stares intensely at Sachiko, making her feel uncomfortable. The fat pirate pokes her side.

"Hurry, greet the boss properly" he urges her. At his tone, Sachiko feels scared, but also a little angry. Who is he to be ordering her like that?

"She's not going to say anything" Louis hisses, slapping the pirate's hand away from Sachiko.

"I think your girlfriend can talk for herself" the boss says in an amused tone. Louis blushes.

"Y-you–"

"So, are you part of the aristocrats? We can leave you in a port if you want" the boss continues, ignoring the flustered Louis. After hearing this, Louis' face turns even redder, this time from indignation.

"No, we're not! I am an ambassador from Tristain, therefore, I demand the treatment of an ambassador" the boss snickers.

"Ambassador? And what is your business here?"

"That I won't tell."

"I see. You know, even if you're mages, I can't guarantee your safety if we let you leave. If you're willing to betray the royalty, I'm sure the nobles from Albion will be more than happy to accept you in their troops" he says, smirking. Louis frowns.

"There's no way we're going to join those disgusting rebels. Do not disregard the Albion royal family. Albion is still a kingdom, therefore, theirs is still the legitimate government" he crosses his arms, standing to his full height. Sachiko wants to slap him. All the opportunities he's letting go, just because of his stupid noble pride! She's going to tell him out again, when she suddenly sees his shoulders trembling. Really soft, almost imperceptible, but still there.

 _Could it be… he's scared?_ Well, of course he is, considering the situation they're in. But even so, he's still staring directly at the boss, his voice not once failing him. _This… this is not about pride, is it? This is about an ideal. Louis can continue to confront the boss because he has something he needs to do. He's… amazing._ Indeed, the Louis right now looks amazing to her. Her heart beating hard in her chest, Sachiko can do nothing but simply stare at him in awe.

"I'll ask again, are you willing to betray the nobles?" the boss asks a final time. Sachiko frowns.

"He already told you his answer" she says. The boss looks at her.

"Incredible. Seems I can't talk with one without the other answering for them" he chuckles before standing up. "Alright then, you have earned my trust" he slowly walks up to Louis, who looks up at him in defiance. "You are just as I remember, Louis de La Vallière."

For the first time since entering the room, Louis abandons his defensive posture. He looks at the pirate, dumbfounded. Sachiko does the same, while Wardes observes with interest.

"Do you know each other?" she can't help but ask. The boss shrugs.

"I do, but it looks Louis doesn't remember me. Well, it's not like I can blame him. I bet you never thought you would see me again in these kinds of circumstances."

"You…" Louis finally speaks, staring at him with a combination of curiosity and wariness; "who are you supposed to be?"

He laughs; "you really don't recognize me! Well, what about this?" he eyes the water ruby on Sachiko's hand and walks towards her. Louis stands between them, preventing him from getting closer; "it will be just a minute, let me pass" Louis shakes his head; "Gus" the fat pirate steps up and holds Louis, who struggles to get free.

"Don't touch her!"

"I won't do anything indecent to her. Gods, you never change" he rolls his eyes and takes Sachiko's hand. She tenses at the touch, but then he brings his own ring near the ruby. The two jewels react to each other, forming a rainbow. Sachiko gasps, and Louis stops fighting. "On the night the wind blows…" he says.

"An oath of water I pledge…" Louis finishes, his voice lowering to a mere whisper. Gus releases him after the boss gives him a nod, and Louis falls to his knees. "For you to be in such a place…"

"You finally remember me. I wonder if it was Tristain's water ruby reacting to Albion's wind ruby or the secret words what gave you a clue."

"I apologize for my behavior, if I have known…"

"Then you could have pretended, in case you came with ill intentions" the boss proceeds to take off the black curly wig and the eye patch he's wearing. Sachiko is looking at the scene with confusion. Wardes remains impassive.

"I don't understand. How did the ring…? And who are you…?"

"Oh, you can't figure it out yet. Then I guess I should introduce myself. Is the least I can do for a lovely lady after giving her such a scare" he chuckles, before bowing down, a hand in front of his chest. "I am the general of the Albion Royal Air Force and also the commander of our country fleet. Though to tell the truth, this warship named 'Eagle' is the only ship in our fleet. A powerless fleet. Oh dear, even people from the street could easily beat it" he laughs heartily. Sachiko tilts her head.

"That means…"

"He's the prince of Albion; Wales Tudor" Louis says for him, still kneeling on the floor. Sachiko's mouth falls open. Wales looks at Louis with a smile.

"What are you still doing on the floor? Get up! Aren't we friends?"

"That…" Louis looks uncomfortable at his choice of words, but he obeys anyway. Wales hugs him.

"How have you been? It's been years since I heard from you. Is your stomach alright?"

"I am well, and my stomach too" he lightly pushes him away, trying to be polite but unable to hide his expression. He looks like he wants the prince not to touch him. Wardes takes the clue and quickly steps back.

"I hope it didn't leave a scar."

"My family has a good number of healers, you don't have to worry."

"Good" he nods; "although a scar or two on a man is nothing to be ashamed of."

"I agree, let's talk about other things; what is his highness doing in a place like this?"

Wales smiles, but there's a hint of sadness in his eyes impossible to conceal. He shakes his head and sits down, pulling a chair for Louis who does the same. "It's a war tactic, actually, to cut the enemy's supply line. Disguising myself as a pirate, that can be done inconspicuously."

"I see."

"And you? There's a reason you came here as an ambassador, isn't it?"

"We're here send by Her Highness, Princess Henrietta, to deliver an important message" Wardes says politely, talking for the first time. Wales looks at him.

"Oh, from her highness; and you are?"

"Captain of Tristain's Griffin Knights, Viscount Wardes" he bows.

"A splendid noble, I'm sure. And this enchanting lady?" he asks Sachiko with a smile. She blushes, now that the fearful pirate has been revealed to be Prince Wales, she isn't scared anymore, and can look at him more carefully. He is really handsome. Her eyes wander over his exposed chest as she opens her mouth, but Louis interrupts her.

"She's my familiar, you don't need to know her name" and he sounds angry. He caught her staring at the prince, and that only makes him feel even more irritated on top of everything else Wales produces on him.

Wales blinks, looking at Sachiko with a frown, whose looking at Louis with one of her own at the way he talked about her. "Familiar? Aren't you a noble?"

"Me? A noble? Oh no, not at all" she shakes her head and hands. Wales looks at Louis.

"Oh, too bad… I thought she was your girlfriend, considering how overprotective you were being…"

"Not in a million years."

"And I was actually feeling happy for you" he sighs regretfully, making Louis clench his fists under the table. "But hey, isn't a human familiar something uncommon? Although coming from you it shouldn't surprise me. You are definitely one of a kind, Louis de La Vallière" he laughs lightly, but there's no malice in it or his tone. Louis still feels offended, so he bites his tongue to stop himself from lashing out at him. "So, with that done, may I know what this message from her highness is?"

"It's a letter" Louis takes out the letter from his shirt pocket, happy the topic of the conversation has moved on, and hands it to Wales.

He accepts it humbly, and for a moment the only thing he does is look lovingly at the letter, before kissing the seal. Sachiko doesn't miss the lonely expression on Louis' face, even though it lasts only a second. Wales carefully opens the letter, and begins to read with a serious expression. After a while, he talks: "Is the princess marrying? That beautiful Henrietta; my beloved... cousin" Wardes and Louis bow their heads silently, and Wales keeps reading. He smiles when the last line is read. "I see. She wants me to return a letter she has written some time ago. That I will do."

Louis smiles, although sadly, and Sachiko feels the sudden impulse of taking his hand.

"However" the prince continues; "the letter is not with me now. I didn't want to bring it here, to this pirate ship, so I left it in Newcastle. Even though it's troublesome, please come with me."

* * *

They travel around the irregular coasts of Albion for three hours. During that time, Louis accompanies Wales as the prince enthusiastically talks to him; _to_ because even though Louis treats Wales with the respect expected of someone of his position, he doesn't seem too happy to be spending time with him. Wales either doesn't notice or ignores it, as he explains the last news of the battle, tactics and sometimes completely unrelated stuff, like what they had for dinner last night, to him. Sachiko stays behind them, having nowhere else to go, Derflinger back on her back. Wardes is elsewhere, probably speaking with the other sailors.

"You've never been inside Newcastle, have you?" Wales asks just as they're reaching the palace, built on top of a cliff on a corner of the country. Walls surround the fortress, with a small town inside. The capital, Londinium, it's somewhere else.

Louis shakes his head. "I was here a few years ago with my sisters, but we avoided the cities in favor of the countryside."

"I bet it was Cattleya's idea. She's always liked nature."

"She was in search of more animals for her collection" Louis explains, showing a faint smile, the first in all their time talking. Wales chuckles.

"I wish you would have come then. I would have received you with open arms. A shame your visit has to be under these circumstances."

"A shame indeed."

Sachiko expects the ship to sail on the port besides the castle, but instead, they descend, hiding behind the clouds. "Why are we going downwards?" she asks, confused.

Wales points to the castle. Just in front of it, a huge ship, the biggest Sachiko has ever seen, is carelessly floating. It's heavily armed with many cannons at each side, and a dragon is painted on the hull, giving an ominous feeling.

"Warship of rebels" Wales answers. "This ship named _'Royal Sovereign'_ once belonged to the fleet of our country. Yet, when rebels took control over it, they changed the name to _'Lexington'_. It was named in honor of the battlefield where those guys snatched the first victory from us" he says with a smile. Suddenly, the Lexington fires at Newcastle, crushing a wall and causing a small fire. The shockwave can be felt even in the _Eagle_ , a few kilometers away. Wales sighs. "This warship keeps a constant blockade of Newcastle from the sky. It shoots at the castle from time to time, not in order to do some damage, but just to annoy us."

"I heard the whole rebellion began after they took that ship" Louis comments. Wales nods.

"It has a hundred-and-eight cannons and it really looks like a fire-breathing dragon, sometimes. We can't defeat it; therefore, we hide behind this cloud, and sail on a secret harbor only we know about."

It suddenly becomes dark as the ship goes under the continent. Without the sunlight and surrounded by thick clouds, they can't see a thing, and the damp and cold air hits them on the face. Sachiko doesn't even know how they arrive at the port. A huge limestone cave receives them, and the ship comes closer to the harbor, where people are already waiting for them. They tie down the ship with ropes and then attach a wooden gangway to the quay. The _Marie Galante_ is behind them, its crew already part of Wales'.

The people receive them cheerfully, even more so when they hear the ship is loaded with sulfur. Though Sachiko doesn't understand why the sulfur is so important, she feels happy for them. The journey towards the castle is a sad one, though. It's obvious the battles against the rebels had taken the best out of them, but they're still cheerful and talk and act in a way that literally draws out all the energy from her body.

They finally arrive at the prince's bedroom: a simple, quite ordinary looking room, with a wooden bed, a table and a pair of chairs. Wales sits on a chair and opens a drawer from the desk. From inside it, he takes a jewelry box and uses the key from his necklace to open it. There is a portrait of Henrietta lying in there. Wales notices the intense stare of Louis and speaks embarrassedly.

"Strongbox" he simply says, and then takes out a letter that's inside too. It looks crumbled, like it has been re-read over and over again. He looks at it with love and reads it once more, before finally putting it inside the envelope and handing it to Louis. "This is the letter I got from the princess. I'm returning it" Louis accepts it with a bow.

"Thank you."

"The Eagle will take you back to Tristain tomorrow, as we won't be using it anymore" he says. Louis looks at him with surprise.

"You won't?" he asks. Sachiko steps closer, curious as well.

"Tomorrow the rebels will attack Newcastle. Our forces have three-hundred men, while the enemies have fifty-thousand. There is no chance of victory, so we will die in glory" he says, still smiling. That greatly surprises Sachiko. The prince talking so lightly about death, it makes everything look so surreal. Louis looks down, deep in thought.

"When your highness says die in glory… do you mean yourself as well?" he asks after a while. Wales nods.

"Of course, I, more than anyone else" he responds, matter-of-factly.

"I see…" Wales looks at Louis, waiting for him to say anything else, but he doesn't. He continues speaking then.

"I'll assign rooms to the three of you. You'll have to wake up early to leave tomorrow."

"I will share a room with my familiar."

Sachiko blinks, looking at Louis with surprise. Wales looks a little shocked as well, but after a while, he gives him a small smile.

"Alright then. Tonight we'll have a small feast, though it's not much, as the last guests of our kingdom, I will like you to come" Louis and Wardes bow. Sachiko quickly does the same, even though her eyes don't leave Louis' figure for a second.

* * *

The feast is held in the hall. Louis, Sachiko and Wardes are in a corner, watching the party with weary eyes. Though the next day everyone will die, it's still quite a feast, with various treats filling the table. Sachiko sighs.

"They put all the troubles of tomorrow behind and try to enjoy the present" she says with a serious face. Wardes nods.

"They behave joyfully."

"Indeed, 'behave' is the perfect word for what they're doing" Louis deadpans. Sachiko looks at him, trying to decipher what he's thinking, but his expression betrays nothing. She sighs once again.

When Prince Wales shows up, there are some enthusiastic sighs from the ladies. He seems to be pretty popular. He approaches the king, who stands up to greet him but ends up staggering and almost falling. Some laughter can be heard from the people.

"Your Majesty! It's too early to fall!"

"Indeed! Save that for tomorrow!"

The King isn't insulted by such comments and smiles. "Don't worry, it's just my legs were numb from sitting for so long."

Wales comes closer and supports the king's body with his. There are a few more chuckles. The night continues with the Albion nobles laughing and having fun. They look pretty interested in the three guests from Tristain, and keep joking and offering wine and food to them.

"Ambassador! Try this wine! Tell us which country's wine is better!"

"Here! Try this! It's Albion's special - chicken with honey, will make you healthy and strong for sure!"

 _So melancholic…_ the hall's atmosphere is affecting Sachiko. It's strange, thinking that this joyful people will inevitably be dead by tomorrow. Louis approaches her.

"Let's get out of here" he whispers in her ear. Sachiko turns to him, and then looks at Wardes, a little away, talking with some nobles by the food table. "He can find his way alone" he takes her hand and drags her out of the hall. Sachiko does her best to keep up with him.

"The atmosphere is affecting you too, isn't it?" she asks. Louis shakes his head.

"Foolish people, and foolish prince, acting so happy while knowing they have no longer a future…" he mumbles, frowning. For some reason, he looks really angry. Sachiko squeezes his hand, and they stop suddenly. He looks at her. "They dance and laugh and have fun, for what? Just to play the act, they don't care what they're leaving behind, the people they're hurting with their decision… they'll die and they don't even care!" he yells.

Sachiko is taken aback. She looks down before talking. "Louis… when you're saying 'they'… are you referring to Prince Wales?" she asks. She thought Louis would deny it and then scream at her for her nerve, but instead, he answers with distant eyes, still holding her hand.

"I can't believe this is how it's going to end. He'll die… even though he has Henrietta… even though the two of us still need to…"

"Louis?" he blinks, waking up from his dream. His eyes suddenly fall on her left arm, and without asking rolls up the sleeve of her parka. She winces as he touches the red skin.

"I almost forgot about your arm. We need to treat it now" he releases her. "Wait here, I'll search for something" he turns around and leaves before Sachiko can stop him.

 _He ran away…_ Sachiko sighs and crouches, looking around, just to jump up in surprise at seeing Wales standing in the shadows with a serious expression. He smiles and approaches her. "Seems our dear ambassador isn't too happy with my decision" he says in a calm tone.

"Eh, no, I mean, just…" Sachiko stands up and gesticulates with her hands, but Wales simply laughs it off.

"No need to explain anything. I think I can understand him a little" he sighs; "I just saw the two of you suddenly leaving the hall, and got curious, though I shouldn't have followed you. For that I'm sorry" he bows lightly. Sachiko shakes her head.

"No, you don't have to… a-anyway, we–"

"It's alright; didn't I say it's my fault? But I don't regret eavesdropping. Now at least I know he does care" he looks distant when he says that. Sachiko can't take the mystery any longer.

"Your highness, did something happen between you two? Ever since Princess Henrietta gave this mission to Louis, he's been so… down. And now that you two are reunited he acts like… I don't know, but I just feel something's not right with him. Do you know what it is?"

She knows she's asking too much, and it's very likely none of her business, but she can't help but worry. It makes her sad seeing him like this. Wales only looks at her with tender eyes. He's smiling, but it doesn't reach his eyes.

"It shouldn't be me the one to tell you. This is something you should hear from him."

"B-but…" _he'd never tell me…_

"I can see you care a lot about him" Sachiko blinks, her head snapping up towards him.

"N-no, that's not it, it's just… curiosity, maybe? But it's not…"

"Louis is very lucky to have someone like you. If it's you… maybe you'd be able to reach him" he steps closer, and places a hand on her shoulder. Sachiko looks at him without understanding. "I leave Louis in your hands. Please, take care of him" he bows his head, leaving Sachiko dumbfounded. _First the viscount and now the prince, just what is going on with Louis?_

She glances down, but finally nods. If Louis needs support, she will try her best to give it to him. _But I still don't know how someone like me would be able to help him… or what exactly I'm supposed to help him with…_

"Now, if it's not too meddlesome, can you tell me; where are you from? I think I've never seen anyone like you before" Wales changes subjects, smiling. Sachiko bits her lips.

"It's… really far away" she responds. Wales nods.

"I see. It is not in Halkeginia?" Sachiko nods. "Well, that explains why you look so different. I was having a hard time discerning which country are you from."

They remain in silence for a little while, before Sachiko looks up shyly. "Your Highness, please forgive my impoliteness, but… aren't you scared?"

Wales blinks. "Scared? You mean for tomorrow?" Sachiko nods and he laughs. "Of course I am; who isn't scared of dying?"

"Then why? Why are you acting like this?"

"Because I have something to defend; Reconquista holds to their ideals by force and blood. And although it's not a bad thing to do what you can to reach your dreams, if they continue to force themselves like this, all countries will be ruined. As part of the royal family, we have to show them we're not a weak enemy, even if we lose or if they continue with their ambitions."

"But I don't understand. What's the point of dying here? Can't you plan for ways to defeat them later?" but she's not finished speaking that Wales is already shaking his head.

"It's our obligation, as the Royal Family, to defend the Kingdom to the very end."

"And what about Princess Henrietta?" she asks. She's not so stupid as not to understand what's going on. The letter Louis was sent to retrieve is a love letter, she knows that without anyone else clarifying it. She can see it in the way Wales speaks of her. They love each other, and yet he's dying. Isn't it important to survive for the person you love? Isn't that an obligation as well?

Wales' face softens at the mention of Henrietta, and he smiles while he speaks. "Because of love, sometimes it is necessary to pretend not to know. Because of love, sometimes it is necessary to let go. It would be so easy to escape, to be with her but… it would only give others an excuse to invade Tristain" Sachiko looks down, shaking. Wales squeezes her shoulder before letting go. "Since it is cleared, don't tell this to Henrietta. No need to worry her pretty face with unnecessary worries. She is like a pretty flower. Don't you think so too?" he chuckles, and Sachiko feels like crying. "Just tell her that Wales fought bravely and died bravely; that will be enough."

* * *

Louis finds her in their room. She's sitting on the couch, her knees pulled up to her chest and her face buried in them. For the way her shoulders shake, he can see she's crying.

"What are you doing?" she looks up with surprise upon hearing his voice. He shuts the door behind him. "I told you to stay where I left you."

"I didn't want to stay in that empty hallway anymore" she dries her eyes with her sleeves. Louis purses his lips as he goes to sit next to her.

"Why are you crying? Don't be stupid" Sachiko puffs her cheeks with anger.

"Is this your way of comforting? Because I have to tell you, you're doing a terrible job" she responds bitterly. Louis sighs.

"I'm just saying; it's not worth it if you're crying for what will happen tomorrow. We can't do anything about it" he takes out a can from his pocket. "I got it from someone. This magical water medicine is very effective against burns. I could get only this but it should be alright" he takes her arm and starts applying it. Sachiko winces.

"That's why I'm crying, because we can't do anything" she sighs, letting Louis scoop a little more from the can and put it on her arm. She closes her eyes. "Louis... do you understand why they're doing this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why they're so eager to die, instead of running and planning another way of winning, later…"

"They can't run; that would be shameful."

"So you do understand."

"That's not what I'm saying" Louis sighs and puts away the can. "No, I cannot understand why they're doing this, Sachiko. I find it pointless, actually" he stands up, walking towards a desk, where a candle illuminates the room.

"Then, why did you accept it so easily?" she looks at him directly in the eye. Louis frowns.

"Accept it?"

"Yes. I mean, it's not my place to say anything, but I thought you would try to persuade the prince not to do this. That's what I expected from you, since you're not ok with this…"

"Nor is it my place to say something, you know? The princess gave me only one mission: to retrieve the letter from prince Wales, and that's what I did. What happens later is no longer my business" he says, making Sachiko frown.

"Not your business? Louis, I can't understand you at all, are you okay with them killing themselves or not?" she crosses her arms. Louis narrows his eyes.

"I'm not liking where this conversation is leading to, neither your tone of voice."

"And where is this conversation leading to, according to you?" she asks, lifting her chin.

"Sachiko, I already told you exactly what I think, why do you keep insisting on this subject?" he asks, taking a step back and crossing his arms as well.

"Because I want to know!"

"Know what?!"

"Why you don't care!" she exclaims. By this point her voice has grown to a shout. Louis looks at her in shock, his eyes wide open and his mouth agape.

"W-what? What are you talking about?!" he responds, his shocked expression morphing into one of anger.

"You don't care about the prince dying and Princess Henrietta being sad for it!"

Silence.

Then, Louis takes out the letter Prince Wales gave him from his pocket and opens it. Sachiko stands up immediately. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to show you why I don't care what happens with that man!" he yells, stopping Sachiko in her tracks. She looks at him, surprised he would say something like that. "You know what this is?" he asks once the letter is outside the envelope. Sachiko looks at it for a second.

"A love letter" she answers without thinking. Louis snorts.

"You think it's only that? Tell me Sachiko, do you really think Henrietta would send us all the way here to retrieve a simple love letter?"

"But… won't it interfere with her marriage?"

"A simple, stupid love letter wouldn't cause so much trouble" he rolls his eyes before starting to read. Once he finds what he was looking for, he slams the letter on the desk. "This is more than a love letter; this is a declaration of love! Here, Henrietta swears in the name of the Founder that she will only love Wales for eternity! You know how marriages are done in Halkeginia?" she shakes her head; "swearing eternal love in name of the Founder, in other words, this letter" he grabs the piece of paper again and waves it around; "it's an informal marriage certificate! If Germania gets their hands in this letter, they can accuse Henrietta of bigamy, and not only would they break off the engagement between her and the Emperor, but those barbarians would be in their right to ally with Albion against Tristain for such a slight! This is why I don't care what happens to them!"

"Louis… calm down…" Sachiko says; a little scared at the intensity of his words. He shakes his head.

"Calm down? How do you want me to do that when these two _idiots_ were _this_ close to bring my country to ruin?!"

"They didn't know, and wasn't the letter written _before_ the civil war?"

"No, it wasn't!" Sachiko's eyes open wide at this. Louis scoffs; "this thing was written a mere year ago. Probably Henrietta's attempt at giving Wales some courage while in battle. That idiot, writing this kind of thing, and then Wales, not destroying it even in this moment, when they're all but defeated" he brings the letter near the candle. Sachiko gasps. "It's better if we destroy this now."

"Don't!" Sachiko jumps forwards and snatches the letter from him. Louis looks at her in disbelief as she hugs the letter to her chest and steps back. "How can you do something like that? This letter is important! It carries both the princess and prince's feelings for each other! And yet you…!"

"This letter is dangerous!" Louis attempts to get it back, but Sachiko keeps running away.

"You promised the princess you'd bring back the letter intact!"

"I never promised such thing! I only said I would retrieve the letter from Albion!"

"Is it not the same?"

"As long as it doesn't reach germanian hands it doesn't matter what happens to it!"

"Yes it does!" she looks at him seriously. "How can you say you don't care about them at all? The princess is your friend! And the prince… he cares about you. He's going to die tomorrow, and you're trying to destroy the only thing left of their love…!"

"They were never supposed to be together!" Sachiko stops running and Louis manages to get the letter back in one second. "Their love has done nothing else but bring suffering to everyone! And this time they almost managed to ruin it all for real! Something like this should be destroyed!" he holds the letter and starts to rip it, but he's only halfway when suddenly Sachiko slaps him. His face turns to the side at the force of the slap. He doesn't move, doesn't look at her, shocked as he is, and Sachiko uses the opportunity to yell at him.

"The only idiot here is you!" her eyes are full of tears. "Can't you see beyond your own nose? Or are you that desperate to destroy everything that connects those two? I am not stupid. I can see what's going on here. My question is: what did those two do for you to hate them so much?"

He doesn't answer. When a few seconds passes, Sachiko calms down. She suddenly realizes what she's done, and looks at Louis fearfully. Slowly, he turns to look at her. Sachiko takes a step back, afraid of his expression and cold eyes.

"L-Louis, you don't…"

"Whatever happened between us" he says, walking up to her. Sachiko backs away, until her back crashes with the wall. She closes her eyes, but the only thing she feels is Louis pressing the letter to her chest. She opens them and looks at him confusedly, but he isn't looking at her anymore; "it's none of your business. You want the letter? Fine, have it" he turns around and grabs the knob of the door; "you'll be responsible if something happens to it. I'll sleep with Wardes tonight."

And with that he leaves. Sachiko's eyes remain on the door even after a few minutes had passed. She looks at the letter in her hands.

 _Did I… maybe exaggerated a little?_

* * *

 **A/N: That's my question. Do you think I exaggerated with the last scene? Personally, I like it a lot. It may be a little late to say this, but if there's one thing I like more than comedy is angst, and sometimes I tend to exaggerate. I promise the Louis-Henrietta-Wales triangle will be explained soon, just be patient.**

 **The next chapter is the last of this arc. Wait for it!**


	13. Chapter 12: Confrontation

**.**

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 12: Confrontation**

 **...**

Louis thrusts the sword in the ground next to Wales' feet, and takes a few steps back. The prince looks at him with wide, confused eyes that only make Louis grip the hilt of the sword he's holding even tighter.

"Pick it up" he commands in a rough voice, inappropriate when speaking to someone of Wales' status. He's royalty, and while Louis' family is powerful, he should still be lowering his head to him. But tonight he doesn't want to do that. He's been letting the little prince play with his dignity far too much to bow down to him in this situation.

Henrietta is at their side. Her hands are clasped in front of her chest. She looks at the two of them with worried, moist eyes. "Louis, please stop this. You are being foolish."

"Me? Foolish?!" he raises his voice, wanting to yell at her, to shake her by the shoulders to wake her up and _see_ what's really happening. "This is your fault to begin with! You _promised_ you would marry _me_ , and yet, it only took him _one week_ to ruin everything…!"

"Louis, we were children! You can't take a child's promise to heart!" she interrupts, her eyes swelling up with tears. Louis scoffs.

"The things you did to me were not very child-like, were they?" the implication of his words and that he's saying them in front of Wales makes Henrietta close her mouth, her face becoming bright red, either from embarrassment or anger, Louis cannot tell. "And make no mistake, it should be you, but we will never stand on the same level, either on magic or swordsmanship, that's why I'm challenging the prince and not you!"

"Does it hurt your pride that much?" Wales speaks for the first time. Louis looks at him, his teeth bared in anger. "Challenging a prince to a duel, this could tarnish your reputation…"

"My reputation is worth nothing!" he interrupts, his voice only raising more and more; "I have nothing to stand for! You took it all from me!"

"Don't exaggerate" Wales says in a forced whisper. Louis laughs dryly.

"Isn't it easy for you to say? You were not the one being lead on all these years, you're not the one who was made fun of behind his back. You have a bright future, _my prince_ and now you have the girl! Now pick up the sword! You do know how to use it, don't you?"

"It's envy then? Do you envy me?"

Louis' eyes narrow. He raises his sword and points it at Wales' throat. Henrietta gasps, but the prince remains impassive, looking at Louis with… pity. Louis swallows thickly before whispering, so only Wales can hear; "if you don't want the whole camp to know of your affair with Henrietta, you will pick up that sword and duel with me" Wales' eyes widen, before he narrows them. They're glinting with anger, just what Louis wanted. He steps back and points at the sword near Wales with his chin. "I won't repeat myself again: pick up the sword."

Wales stares at him for a while longer. He extends his hand, and grabs the hilt of the sword.

* * *

Louis sighs, opening his eyes to a dark room. It's not morning yet, but it will be soon. He can already hear the birds chirping outside the window.

"I was such a kid…" he murmurs, glancing around. Wardes is still sleeping on his bed. It won't be long until he wakes up too. He stretches, his arms bumping with the side of the couch where he spent the night. An empty bag slides down to the floor, leaving a wet path on his neck and the upper part of his shirt. He shivers, before sitting up and crouching to pick it up.

 _Sachiko is really strong…_ he actually had to use an ice bag over his cheek to keep it from swelling. No wonder Guiche was so angry after she slapped him that time. He looks at the bag, twirling it on his hands without really thinking of anything.

It has been years since he had that dream. Even then he understood Henrietta was right: he was being foolish, guided only by his anger and desire to avenge his hurt pride. It wasn't only because of Henrietta's promise or Wales' false attempts at friendship, it went a little beyond that. It was him being ignored and treated like an idiot, like always. It was them pretending everything was fine, dismissing the role he played in all of that. The worst part is, if they had only come clean to him that first night, nothing of this would have happened.

He sighs again, standing up and leaving the bag on top of the desk. He touches his cheek lightly. He doesn't feel pain anymore, but nonetheless closes his eyes, letting his fingers glide over the place her fingers touched.

' _What did those two do for you to hate them so much?'_

"I don't hate them…" it's just that sometimes it's difficult to forget. More so because of his pride. But Sachiko wouldn't understand it even if he explained it to her. She would call him an idiot again and to stop caring about his pride. Because everything was always reduced to that: his small, tarnished pride, the one he had to claw to with nails and teeth if he wanted people to recognize him beyond being a zero, to see pass the explosions to what he really is.

' _You don't realize it, but you are more than just your magic.'_

He does understand that, it's just the others don't.

 _Do you really?_

He shakes his head, wanting to drive unwanted thoughts away. Just in that moment, he hears Wardes stirring on the bed. The older man sits up, stretching. He looks surprised when he sees Louis already up.

"You're awake" he pushes the covers away and stands up, walking towards the desk. He pours some water on a basin and washes his face. Louis observes him silently.

"I'm awake" he says when Wardes is finished washing his face, drying it with a towel he placed near. He looks at him curiously, before going to a nearby chair and grabbing the cloak he left there last night and passing it over his shoulders.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes" he lies. Wardes raises an eyebrow. He grabs the rapier from the side of the bed and places it on his waist. He stands in front of Louis and folds his arms. "What?"

"Nothing, just wondering…"

"About what?"

"The mission is almost over" he says. Louis raises both eyebrows. That's true; he was supposed to give Wardes his answer once they got back the letter. He looks away, biting his lower lip.

"Not yet, we still need to give the letter back to Henrietta" Wardes frowns for a second, before shaking his head and sitting on the bed. He looks at Louis with serious, unblinking eyes. It makes him feel uncomfortable.

"Tell me Louis, do you know what Reconquista is?"

"…" he's surprised at the question. He looks at his hands for a moment before answering; "isn't that what the aristocratic faction against the crown is called?"

"Yes, but you don't think they only call themselves that because they're against the crown, do you?" Louis shakes his head. He pulls out the chair of the desk and sits down too.

"Henrietta told me they're against the monarchy and the church. That they want to conquer the whole of Halkeginia."

"And why do you think they want that?"

"That…" he never really thought about it. He shakes his head. Wardes sighs.

"Their real objective is to retake the Holy Lands. The church and the monarchy are old and they're afraid of the elves; preventing us from taking action to reclaim what's rightfully ours. That's the reason they're deposing them so they can fight against the elves."

Louis is shocked to hear this. "That… that's ridiculous! Retake the Holy Lands? Don't they know every attempt in the past has only resulted in failure? How many lives were lost?"

"Because every country acted individually or in alliances of two. Their plan is to unite the whole of Halkeginia, so this time they don't lose."

"It's madness, that's what it is. This kind of thing… it should be stopped immediately…"

"It's a little ironic to hear this from you" Wardes says, standing up. Louis looks at him with a frown.

"What do you mean?"

"A user of the void, proclaiming that recovering the Holy Lands is madness" Louis blushes at this.

"I don't have the void, and if we talk about that, Reconquista is crazy too. The void users come from the Founder's lineage, the same they're trying to eradicate. Prince Wales and his father are the only two members left of the Albion Royal Family, and neither of them possesses the void. Don't forget that for the prophecy to be fulfilled the four families have to produce a void user, and, if I really have the void, that would mean there's only one."

"But don't forget you are not a member of the royal family, you are a descendant of it. In the same way, other descendants could be in noble families that married with royalty in the past, and they could easily exist in the Reconquista faction."

"Do you think the void user of Albion is in Reconquista?" Louis can hardly believe it. If that's the case, what would that mean for Halkeginia as a whole?

Wardes shrugs, before turning towards the door. "We don't know, we can only assume. Anyway, it's past time we leave this place. The battle will begin at any moment."

Louis stands up, nodding. "You're right. I'll go look for Sachiko" he follows Wardes outside, but the older man places a hand on his shoulder, stopping him; "Wardes?"

"You don't need to do that. She already left" Louis' eyes widen in shock.

"What?! When?! And how would you know? You were asleep…"

"Yesterday, when you were sleeping, she came to the room. She didn't want to wake you up, so she simply told me she would leave first. Apparently she's still angry, and she didn't want to see your face" this makes Louis angry. He touches his cheek and glares at the door of her room, even though he knows she's no longer there.

"She's the one angry? After _she_ slapped me?" he can't believe her. What right does she have? Wardes shrugs, turning around.

"Women are like that Louis, you just can't win with them, you should be aware of that by now" Louis growls, following Wardes. He's too busy complaining about Sachiko in his mind he doesn't notice they are not going to the harbor until they arrive at an unknown hallway. He looks around, confused.

"Wardes, this is not…"

"Before we leave" the man interrupts, walking forward and not looking back; "there's something important I have to show you."

"Something important?" Wardes nods, making him frown; "we don't have time, if it's not that…"

"It is" they go down a flight of stairs, and then turn right; "it's very urgent" Louis stares at him for a few seconds, before shaking his head and not asking any more questions. This is Wardes after all, if he says it's important, then that means it has to be important.

* * *

Wales lights up a few candles with his wand. He's inside a small chapel in the farthest part of the castle. He's already wearing his military uniform, ready for battle, but instead of being with his generals, he's here, placing a small candle on an altar, in front of a portrait of the Founder.

The Founder is covered from head to toe with a dark robe, his hands extended in front of him in prayer. Only the lower half of his face is exposed, while the rest is covered in shadows.

"I wonder if after today I'll finally know what you look like" Wales says with a small laugh. It's considered disrespectful to draw the Founder's face in detail. That nobody knows what he actually looked like helps. He kneels in front of the altar and lowers his head, starting a small prayer.

It's usually considered the women's job to pray for their men before a battle, but it's not unseemly for men to do the same, especially the most faithful ones. Wales himself isn't a man of much faith. He could recite by heart passages of the Founder's Prayer Book when he was eight, but he never took the words seriously, thinking it was the job of priests and nuns to guard for religion and its believers. Even now he finds it difficult to believe. Why would he, when the Founder abandoned his chosen ones, just to let vipers and crows destroy what he created?

But he's past the rage stage. He had seen many things in these past years, even before the whisper of rebellion started. He can't say he expected the nobles to rise against the monarchy, but maybe he anticipated it since a few years before. After all, he can still remember her, her long golden hair, with equally long ears hidden under a big-brimmed hat.

 _I wish I could have saved you_ , her, and her mother and his uncle. As it is, he can't even remember her name, and that's one of the regrets he will have to take to the grave.

He has many regrets, now that he thinks about it.

His best friend, whom he lost earlier that year, the commander-in-chief of the army, who always behaved like an uncle to him, the head of maids' sons and grandsons, that kind woman who was like a grandmother to everyone and had to bury all of her offspring, while the only thing he could do for her was tell her they fought and died bravely…

The list could go on and on, but he rather not think about it. He had his moment to cry, to rage against the heavens and pray for a miracle, and that moment is gone.

He remembers what Louis' familiar asked him last night. Of course he is scared, and if he could, he would take up the offer of asylum given to him by Henrietta in her letter, but he can't do that. For all the people who died for him, for all the bloodshed he had to witness or that he caused. He owes them that much, he thinks.

Henrietta is sweet, a flower yet to bloom who has never really experienced lost, not in the way he has. Even when they first met she had been so pure, a starry-eyed girl who believed in oaths for eternity and love that lasts a lifetime. Maybe that was the reason he was so attracted to her. She possessed the innocence he wished he could have retained for himself. It was obvious she would ask him to flee, because she couldn't understand the duty he had towards his country, towards his people, who have seen him and followed him to the very end.

But he isn't so good as to believe he would have rejected her offer had she not been married already. And that was the main problem. He knew the moment he put a foot on Tristain, her beautiful Henrietta would do everything in her power to oppose marriage to Germania's Emperor, and Tristain _needs_ that marriage and the alliance it will bring.

In an ideal world and given enough time, they could have married, slowly convinced their parents and the court that a new union between Albion and Tristain was the best. It was not uncommon for cousins to marry, especially when it came to royalty. But the war interfered with that. It wasn't possible for Henrietta to marry the prince of a decaying country after all.

If that was the case… it would have been better if Henrietta married Louis. He's another sweet, not so idealistic but still fairly innocent lad. If it was someone like him… then maybe Henrietta could have find happiness and in her heart to fall in love again. But he knows Louis never loved Henrietta in that way, and in this moment, with that familiar by his side, it's nearly impossible for him to do so.

 _Maybe it's for the best_ , he sighs, standing up. _But it's not too late to pray for the Emperor's early death. Choking with a chicken's bone at the wedding feast would be ideal, but as long as it happens before the wedding night I'm more than happy_.

The door of the chapel opens then. He turns around to see the two new guests, and smiles.

"I was getting tired of waiting, Viscount."

"My apologies, your highness" Wardes bows down, before gesturing towards Louis; "as you asked, I brought him here."

"What is the meaning of this?" Louis asks, looking between the prince and the viscount with a frown. "Wardes, you said you had to show me something important, and your highness, sorry for my rudeness but shouldn't you be preparing for the battle?"

Wales chuckles, slowly descending the few steps between the altar and the aisle. He looks at Louis with a small smile, despite the boy just staring at him sternly. "Are you trying to reprimand me, Louis?"

"I wouldn't dare."

"You don't have to worry, I am ready" he gestures at his uniform. Louis' eyes sweep over him, and he gives a small nod.

"I can see you are. So… you asked Wardes to bring me here?"

"I did. You see…" he stops at the second row of pews and passes a hand over the surface, as if he's gathering his thoughts. He lets out a shy laugh and shakes his head. "I have come to realize, with my death so close, that I have many regrets that I have no way of remediate. I'm ready to take them with me to the grave, but there's one I still can do something about."

With that, he walks towards Louis. The younger boy looks up, as Wales towers over him, like most guys often do, and gives him a curious, if not a bit wary, look. Wales smiles and takes off the wind ruby. He takes Louis' hand and puts the ring on his palm, before closing his fingers around it.

"Is this a memento for the princess?" Louis asks, staring at his closed hand.

"It's actually a gift for you" hearing this, Louis looks at him, his mouth opening in surprise.

"Your highness, this is… I mean, for you to…"

"It's not weird, is it? I really hope not" he laughs lightly, a bit awkwardly. "My regret… the only one I can actually try to mend… it has to do with you and… three years ago…"

"You feel bad for pushing a sword through my stomach?" Louis says in a small voice, not looking at Wales but at his hand. Wales winces.

"When you say it like that it sounds really bad…"

"It was a duel; you only did what you had to win. Nobody can blame you for that, not even I."

"That's the reason you ignored me and Henrietta despite our efforts to get to you?" Wales asks, and this time his voice does carry accusation. Louis raises his head to glare at him.

"I was a kid. I still am… in many senses" he sighs before putting away the ring inside his pocket. "Is that your regret? That's what you want to mend before dying? You want to apologize to me?"

"I want to set things right. Remember the first time we saw each other?"

"How could I forget? It was during Queen Marianne's birthday celebration, three years ago. Many renowned noble families assisted" he looks pass Wales, reminiscing the past. Wales nods too, also looking far away.

"Noble families of Tristain and the royal families of Gallia, Albion and Germania, all reunited at the banks of Ragdorian Lake."

"It was a big surprise because the day before we had been told the Albionese Royal Family wouldn't be able to attend, and yet you appeared with your father and your retainers."

"It was a last minute change, to be honest. It came as a surprise to even me" he looks back at Louis, this time smiling tenderly. "You were with your parents, and they introduced you to me as heir apparent of La Vallière House. You were so nervous back then, stuttering and unable to look me in the eye. It's especially cute because you used to be so much smaller."

Louis blushes and turns his head away. "I wasn't that small, and I don't remember being so nervous."

"But you were; I won't forget that: hiding behind Henrietta and looking at me like I was going to bite your head off. You used to follow her everywhere, like a lost puppy."

"You had her for yourself every night after that, so you can't complain" Louis replies, feigning anger to cover his embarrassment at Wales' recollections. The prince shrugs, but he has a mischievous smile.

"It was not enough, I hope you realize that, but we're not talking about Henrietta, we're talking about you and me. The first impression I had of you was that of a meek, innocent boy, so I was very worried when, later that day, we organized a hunting party and you came with us" he has to stop for a second, stifling a few chuckles; "my god, you nearly scared me to death when you alone managed to hunt down that wild boar. You were only thirteen and yet you could use a crossbow better than any seasoned general in Albion's army could ever hope to."

"My father has a hobby of hunting, and he always took me with him. I can't use magic so of course I had to learn how to hunt without it" Louis explains, smiling despite himself. Wales nods.

"It was impressive! That night we dined the boar you hunted, and everybody congratulated you."

"It was a really good day" Louis says with a sigh. One of the few times people forgot his inability to cast magic, and treated him simply like Louis, not a failure. "And the boar was delicious."

"And then, later that night we stole a few bottles of ale and snuck out to a part of the forest with some of the guys in my retinue. It was the first time you drank ale" he laughs, remembering; "you spit out most of the ale and later complained that our Albionese tongues could never hope to understand the true value of a good old wine."

"You made me drink it!" Louis says, but by now he's smiling. "And I still think the same. You guys might make good wine, but you definitely don't know how to taste it if you prefer to drink that _thing_."

"Why? People have the right to like different things" Wales sighs and looks at Louis again. "Every day was good during the celebration, not just at night when I got to be with Henrietta, but during the day too, and it was thanks to you" Louis frowns. Wales gives him a sad smile. "I said I have one regret, and you're right, it has to do with the duel. I wish I never picked up that sword. I wish I could have kept a cold head instead of accepting your challenge. If I hadn't done that… we could have become friends… the kind of friends I always wanted… that I always needed…"

"Your highness…" Louis is surprised. He never thought of it like that. Wales shakes his head.

"It sounds stupid, I know, with everything that happened later it wouldn't have made a difference whether we were friends or not, just like my love for Henrietta is coming to an end, but sometimes I still think about it. Henrietta told me you ignored her too and… it just makes me feel bad. I really did appreciate the moments we spent together. It wasn't as compensation for what I was doing with Henrietta or… whatever you thought I was acting friendly with you for…"

"I know. I… I understand that now, and you were never at fault" Louis says, his voice barely above a whisper, but enough to catch the prince's attention. "I'm a prideful person, I admit it. If I ignored Henrietta and you it was because what you did hurt my pride more than it hurt my heart, so even after a long time passed, I still clung to old grudges stubbornly. Especially…" he shakes his head, not wanting to think about it. After all, Wales was always just collateral damage. The one he was truly angry with was Henrietta, but it was so much easier to hate the prince…

As if reading his thoughts, Wales hesitantly says; "the last word of course… it lays with Henrietta, not me, of that I'm aware, but I'm happy I could say this to you, and to hear what you think as well" then he looks up and lets out a sigh. "It's getting late. I really should be going. The battle will start at any second, and I'm sure my men are wondering where I am" he walks pass Louis towards the exit. However, something unexpected happens.

"Wales!" Louis shouts. The prince stops and looks back with surprise. Louis still has his back towards him. He's staring at the carpeted floor with his arms to the side, clenching his fists tightly. He takes a deep breath before whirling, staring at him in the eye. "Come with us to Tristain!"

Wardes gasps, but it's lost to the two young men, who are staring at each other as if in a challenge. Wales can't help but smile. He shakes his head.

"You know I can't."

"Screw honor! Dying here is pointless, you know that as well as I! You need to live, for Henrietta, for your country, for… for me…"

"I can't abandon now. My country is already dead…"

"You will do more good alive than dead! Just come with us, so you can fight when you-!"

"Louis, I'm _tired_ of fighting!" Wales yells, finally losing his composure. He doesn't look calm anymore. He's breathing hard, his eyes tired and his entire frame shaking. "I'm _sick_ of it! Every waking hour, every single second the only thing I've been doing these past two years is fight! There's no hope anymore! You think something will change if I go to Tristain? They will just follow me there, they will attack Tristain and I'll have to _fight again_! Yes, Henrietta might want to defend me, but do you honestly think the court will support her? That Tristain's nobles will help the fleeing prince of an already overthrown monarchy? They will only sell out their country! And let me tell you, if they didn't help Albion two years ago, when this war started and we still had chances of surviving, they won't do it now, when it's all lost!"

He pants after screaming all of that. Louis can only look at him in shock. He glances down, trembling, and Wales finally recovers himself.

"I'm sorry, it's just…"

"No, I get it. I just thought I could…"

"You can't, that's why…" Wales shakes his head; realizing saying anything else at this point is useless. "I'll fight today, for the last time… and I'll die today, because there is no other way" and with that said, he turns around, finally making it to the door.

A click is heard just when he's turning the knob. He frowns, realizing the door is locked, and turns to see Wardes with his rapier high up. "Your highness, it's too soon for you to leave" he says in a mocking tone. Both Louis and Wales look at him with surprise. Wales' expression soon changes to one of anger, as he takes out his wand.

"Viscount, I have no time for jokes, if this is your way of retaining me here so you can whisk me away to Tristain, then…" he tries to open the door, but Wardes, who already had a spell prepared, blows Wales' wand away, leaving him astounded.

"You don't have to worry, that is not my intention at all."

"Wardes" Louis says, as surprised as the prince; "what are you trying to do?"

"It's time you finally answer me Louis" he says another thing entirely, further confusing Louis. "Before I let the prince go, you have to answer: will you accompany me or not?"

"Where? You never told me that. Wardes, I don't know what you want to do after the mission is over or why you want me to go with you, but let the prince go. He has nothing to do with this."

"On the contrary; he's a key piece in all of this."

"Just what…" Louis doesn't understand. Wales neither, as he walks back, searching for his wand between the pews.

"Your highness" Wardes says, making him look at him with a frown and ignoring Louis' confused expression; "you mean what you said? That you're ready to die today?"

"Of course I am" he says in a strong voice, his tone acquiring a shade of sternness; "viscount, if you have something to say, do it now. Your intention is not keeping me here, so I would be grateful if you do what you want to do now and let me go. I have a battle to fight."

"But you won't" Wardes whispers, and the two teens look at him with surprise; "Louis, let me tell you something. You have a great power, big enough to change the fate of this world. You heard the prince already; he's ready to die at the hands of Reconquista. I know you don't approve, but there's nothing you can do about it."

"Wardes, explain yourself. Why are you saying all of this?"

"I'm stating the facts, so you don't hate me when I do what I have to" Louis looks at him, his stare changing from confused to an analyzing one; "the Albion Royal Family is doomed, and I'm pleased to hear the prince plans to die today, but what you know? Perhaps there are others like you who are just waiting to give their lives to save his, to whisk him away to another country…"

Wales realizes what Wardes' intentions are, and in a second localizes his wand and throws himself at the floor to retrieve it. As fast as lighting, Wardes is already standing in front of him. He kicks the wand away and thrusts his rapier on Wales' back. The rapier is shining, as if enveloped in a silver whirlwind. Louis screams.

"Wales!" without thinking he goes to the prince's side. Wardes steps back, the spell around his rapier dissolving. He holds the dying prince in his arms. "Wales, please, hang in there! I-I…!"

"It's nothing personal" Wardes attracts Louis' attention again. For the first time in his life, Louis looks at Wardes with hatred; "it was necessary for us all."

"Necessary?! What are you talking about?!"

"L-Louis…" Wales says; his voice weak and raspy. Louis looks at him, his expression changing to one of sorrow.

"It's going to be alright" it's the most stupid thing he can say but he doesn't know what else to say. Wales smiles, or tries to, and shakes his head.

"Your… familiar…"

"Sachiko? What's with Sachiko?!"

"Ah, that's… her name…" he closes his eyes. Louis shakes him.

"Don't! Don't close your eyes! Stay with me!" with a last effort, Wales does so.

"Tell her… don't forget what… to… Henrietta…"

"Wales?" the prince doesn't close his eyes, but there's no longer light in them. Louis feels the moment his body stops moving with the rhythm of his breathing. His eyes swell up with tears; "no…"

"Don't be overdramatic" Louis' head snaps up towards Wardes. He doesn't recognize the man who's staring at him with such cold eyes and demeanor, the same who has just killed Wales; "not even ten minutes ago you didn't care if he died or not."

"He was going to die fighting! You stabbed him in the back!"

"I would have done it in the gut but that was the position he was in" Wardes says carelessly. Louis can hardly believe it.

"What's wrong with you?! Are you going to kill me now too?!"

"It seems you have not been listening" Wardes takes out a handkerchief from his tunic and starts wiping off the blood from his rapier. The calmness with which he does this both unnerves and disgusts Louis. "You have a great power Louis, necessary for the purpose of recovering the Holy Lands, and you are not the only one with it."

This completely takes Louis by surprise; "not the…"

"His name is Oliver Cromwell, leader of Reconquista and void user of Albion, apparently" he shrugs, as if that's completely irrelevant for him. "Now, if you would stop holding Wales like you have just lost the love of your life, I can explain to you exactly why I want you to come with me."

Louis stares at him, not trusting him anymore. But he doesn't have any other option but obey for now. Slowly, he leaves Wales' body on the floor and stands up, not taking his eyes off Wardes for even a second. Wardes smiles, but it's an empty gesture.

"It is said that when the four void users reunite, the void will be complete again and we'll be able to recover the Holy Lands. A legend for most, but it comes to question when two of these four users actually exist. To be honest, conquering Halkeginia and uniting the people is just a small benefit when compared to the prospect of going to the Holy Lands, but for that to happen first we need power and influence, and there's no other way to achieve it but to overthrow the monarchy."

"And why do you think I would join you? In the first place, I don't have the void, no matter how much you want to think I do."

"You do, but I won't waste my time convincing you. I thought first that I could get you to join me by using the affection you hold towards me as a big brother figure, but I realized in this trip that you had outgrown that stage. Luckily, it was easy to come up with another plan. Wales' death was unavoidable, but Henrietta's isn't."

Louis freezes at his words. He narrows his eyes and looks at Wardes with bared teeth. "You won't touch her…"

"You don't need to threaten me. What I have to offer you it's not a bad deal. We can prevent Henrietta's loveless marriage and keep your family and her out of harm's way when we move on to conquer Tristain. You only have to join me" Louis shakes his head. His mind is rallying, looking for a way to get out of this situation, but Wardes can see his intentions; "you can't escape Louis, you don't have a way to defend yourself. You are _trapped_. Look, I even told your familiar to leave without us, so you see I will keep my promise of not touching Henrietta."

" _You_ told Sachiko to leave?!"

"She may be Gandálfr, but she's completely useless. I could have easily killed her, but instead I sent her off on the _Eagle_ to protect her. We can get her back later if that's what you want, although I doubt she'd be able to do more than warm your bed."

Louis feels the blood in his veins boiling. He unconsciously reaches for his wand, but Wardes raises his rapier in a silent warning. Louis reluctantly lets his arm fall to the side.

"Good. With this said, it's time for you to decide. It would be a real waste killing you, your family, Henrietta and your cute familiar when the only thing you have to do is join us, but I will do it if you refuse, have no doubt of that."

Louis tenses. His eyes don't leave Wardes' as he racks his brain for a solution. The more time it passes, Wardes is capable to see Louis is beginning to give in, reluctantly, but he will have time to completely drag him in later. Closing his eyes, Louis takes in a long breath, and nods. Wardes smiles; "you have made the correct decision" he assures him as the boy approaches him.

"Yes… I have!" taking advantage that Wardes has lowered his guard; Louis quickly seizes the rapier and doesn't hesitate to punch Wardes on the face. The older man staggers back. Before he can regain balance Louis slices through his tunic. Unfortunately, he's wearing armor under his clothes so he only leaves a slice across his chest. Wardes immediately steps back and looks at him with anger.

"I left down my guard. It won't happen again."

"Give up Wardes. You can't cast magic, and you can't defend yourself" Louis repeats the words he said to him a few minutes ago.

"Are you going to kill me Louis? Do you think you're capable?"

"I know how to use a sword just as well as you, and you're unarmed. It's obvious I have the upper hand here" besides, he won't let his guard down like Wardes did. He's observing every single one of his movements, his body tense and ready in case he tries anything. Wardes doesn't move.

"Little Louis, pointing at me with a rapier, isn't fate funny?" he scoffs. "I wouldn't recommend you to kill me Louis. Wales is dead, and when they find you alone with his corpse and mine, what do you think the royalists will do?"

"I don't care about that" he's waiting for the exact moment to kill Wardes. The only option he sees is plunging the rapier in his throat, the only spot soft enough and exposed to do that. But if he's too hasty Wardes will be able to dodge him and try to retrieve his sword. He's a more experienced fighter after all, so he has to be careful.

"No? And what about the mission?"

"I'll just burn the letter."

"What about Sachiko?"

"…" he sees what he's trying to do. He's trying to rile him so he gives him an opening, but he's prepared for that. He feigns his words have affected him and the moment Wardes goes after him he dodges. With his free arm, he hits him on the back of the neck and steps on his back once he's on the floor. He points the rapier at his throat and thrusts, but before he can kill him Wardes turns around and blows him away, making him release the rapier as his body crashes with the opposite wall. He moans in pain, looking up at Wardes with confusion.

"Did you really think I only came with that rapier?" he's holding a black wand while slowly walking towards him. Louis quickly gets up and runs to get back the rapier, but he's blow away once more. "I couldn't take out my wand without you attacking me immediately, so I had to wait until you thought you had me in your hands. But you hurt me Louis. After everything we've lived, you would actually kill me without hesitation."

"What about you?!" Louis tries to stand up, but the continued blows have left him severely hurt. Just as he manages to raise his body with his elbows, Wardes uses his foot to kick him back to the floor. "You… what happened to the Wardes I knew?!"

"Years passed, accidents happened. Though it changed me from whom you knew; it didn't change my nature" he sighs, as if truly saddened things have reached this point. "You know, I had three objectives when coming to Albion. One was taking you with me, and I failed. The second was taking Wales' life; and the third…"

The air around them changes. It gets colder. Louis, who's very knowledgeable in wind spell thanks to both his mother and Wardes, quickly realizes the spell Wardes is going to use. He tries to get free, but Wardes augments the force on his foot, preventing him from moving in the slightest.

"The third is the letter in your pocket. I'll get it once you die."

"I don't have it with me!" he yells. This makes Wardes stop chanting, but unfortunately it doesn't surprise him enough to allow Louis to stand up. "I gave it to Sachiko yesterday! By now she must be in her way to Tristain. You lose Wardes."

He smiles despite the pain when Wardes' face morphs with fury. He raises his foot and pushes it down with even more force; enough to make Louis feel like his ribs dig in his flesh after being thrown around the room before. Any more of this and they'll probably break.

"Dumb child" his voice is trembling, and he stomps on his chest again and again; "you should have said you destroyed it. Fine, I'll go look for her and kill her before she can deliver the letter" Louis' gasps, his heart filling with fear. Wardes kicks him a final time and he screams in pain. This time he surely has broken ribs. He can hear Wardes continuing his spell, but he's not thinking about his life anymore. He's just thinking about Sachiko, hoping she can escape before Wardes finds her.

The door of the chapel is thrown open with fierce intensity, enough to stop Wardes from pointing his wand at Louis and look up. Sachiko only takes one second to look at Wardes pressing his foot on Louis before charging, her speed allowing her to be there in mere seconds before slashing her sword in the place Wardes was standing. He jumps up with a spell and glares at her with irritation.

"What are you doing here, Gandálfr?"

"How dare you?!" she shouts instead, throwing herself at him again. The runes in her left hand are shining brightly. Wardes barely has time to dodge her attack, her sword managing to break in pieces the pew behind him.

"S-Sachiko?" Louis says in a weak voice, trying, despite the pain of his broken ribs, to sit up. Sachiko doesn't look at him, blindly attacking Wardes again and again.

"Reunite in the secret harbor?! Don't make me laugh! You wanted to kill Louis all along!"

"So you felt when your master was in danger" Wardes continues dodging. A smirk crosses his features. "Very convenient, now I don't have to waste my time looking for you."

"I saw you killing Prince Wales with my left eye! You betrayed him! You betrayed Louis!" she charges again, but Wardes easily blows her away with his wand. She painfully crashes against a row of pews, but in her state, she ignores the pain and stands up again, although clumsily.

"To achieve a goal, you can't be selective with the means" Wardes explains as he jumps at her, his wand emitting a silver glow. It's the same spell he used to kill Wales, 'air needle'. Sachiko raises Derflinger and blocks the attack, pushing Wardes back a few meters.

"He believed in you! You were his brother figure! How can you be so cold to try to kill a boy you practically saw growing up?!" she runs up to him. Wardes dodges again, and raises his wand to hit her with it now that he's at her back. Before he does, there's an explosion in front of him that sends him and Sachiko flying in opposite directions.

"Sachiko!" Louis runs towards her, ignoring the pain in his chest. His wand is in his hand. "I'm sorry, are you alright?"

"Ugh, yes… what about you?" she asks worriedly, sitting up. Louis winces.

"I've been better. Now listen to me: stop attacking blindly. Wait for an opening, alright? Or have you forgotten what I taught you?"

"But he makes me so angry!"

"Yes, but…" before he can finish Sachiko raises Derflinger again and blocks another attack from Wardes. She stands up and pushes the man away from Louis.

"Run now!" she yells at Louis. Wardes laughs.

"You won't have it so easy!" he steps back, destabilizing her, and with another wave of his wand, sends her flying. "I'll kill him first!" he turns to Louis and recites a spell. Unable to escape, Louis is hit with the full force of Wardes' air hammer, and after everything he's been through, he can't resist any longer. The moment he crashes with the wall, he faints from pain.

Sachiko looks at this with wide eyes. Her body starts trembling. "Y-Y-You… _I'll kill you_!" she growls. She feels her heart beating at an incredible speed, her body moving just as fast. She attacks Wardes, who can only cast another spell to defend himself. Sachiko raises Derf, aware it's useless, but instead of being blown away, the sword absorbers the attack, leaving both her and Wardes astounded; "D-Derf?!

"I remember now!" he yells happily, its body starting to glow. "Back then, yes, it was like this too! Listen partner, you won't believe this!"

"Cut it out!"

"Ah, but aren't you impatient? It doesn't matter, because you're my partner. Anyway, this is my true form! Gandálfr's left hand, Derflinger! I can suck in all magic around me!" he exclaims joyfully. Sachiko looks at him with her mouth open, while Wardes observes the sword with increased interest.

"Indeed, you're not ordinary sword" he says, before raising his wand again. "Alright, it seems I have to get serious" he utters a spell. In no time, Wardes' body doubles, until there are six of them. Sachiko backs away, shocked. "Ubiquitous Wind. The wind is evenly distributed. It has not only form but power as well" as he says this, one of his copies takes out a mask from his tunic and puts it on. Sachiko rages when she recognizes him.

"You… you're the one who tried to kill me!"

"A nuisance like you should just be rid of. A Gandálfr who can't even use a sword, well…" he looks at her glowing runes before scoffing; "even when they work, there's nothing impressive about you. Slow, dumb, but can't we say the same about the master? Even with all the power he possesses, to be so easily defeated by me is disappointing" he laughs. Sachiko only holds Derflinger tighter. "If it is like this, then it's better to simply kill you two, but look at the bright side, at least you can die together" and with that he commands his copies to attack her.

The six of them surround her, each with spells of their own. Three use air needle, charging at her at the same time. She blocks each one with Derflinger, and absorbers the wind thrown at her by the others. Spinning, she cuts down one of the clones and jumps back, dodging the magic from another. Slicing the air, she liberates the wind from Derflinger and throws it at two of the clones with air needle, eliminating them. Another one attacks her, this time finally hitting her, but she recovers quickly and in one second has thrust Derflinger through his heart. He disappears like the others.

"Impossible!" Wardes shouts, breathing heavily. "How can you be so fast?!" he chants another spell, and this time the remaining copy accompanies him, using their magic at the same time to attack her. Sachiko is blow away, but as soon as she's down, she stands up again and charges.

"Hey, Derf" she says instead, blocking their simultaneous attack.

"Yes, partner?"

"My heart is beating so fast."

"I can feel it. You're enraged."

"I am, and I think I finally understand it, the reason the runes didn't work earlier."

"Do you?"

"Yes" she jumps behind the clone and slices, making it disappear; "it's because I didn't have any motivation."

"That's how it is. Gandálfr's power comes from emotions. Anger, love, sadness, anything is good. As long as it makes your heart beat faster and you want it bad enough, you can't lose!"

"True" she stares at Wardes with a fury so big she can't help but remain calm. He looks at her with the same anger, chanting under his breath, but Sachiko only smiles in a way that looks almost sadistic; "and right now, my biggest desire" she clenches Derflinger's hilt, running at Wardes at an incredible speed, and slices the arm holding the wand. Wardes screams in pain as she turns around, rising Derf again to deal the final blow; "is to kill Wardes!"

But just as she's about to kill him, she trips on a small stone from one of the walls, and once in her knees, she can no longer stand up.

"Careful partner, you're exhausted now. You've used a lot of energy as Gandálfr."

"I… Wardes…"

"This seems to be the end of our fight" Wardes says, standing up and grabbing the wand from his severed arm with the other. He looks at her, showing he's just as exhausted, before looking towards the door. "Do you hear that? That's the clamor of the battle" he says. Sachiko slows down her breathing and listens. Because of her agitated state before, she didn't realize it, but there's a huge battle taking place outside the chapel, inside the castle. "The royalists will very likely arrive here, looking for their prince, and once they find you two with his corpse" he looks at Wales' body, scoffing mockingly; "they won't doubt to cut you down."

He waves his wand, making a hole in the ceiling of the chapel, and flies away. Sachiko can only watch as he escapes. She closes her eyes for a second, hearing the sound of cannons and explosions now intensified because of the hole, before standing up. She leans her weight on Derflinger and walks towards Louis, letting her body fall next to him, and leans her head on his chest. She lets out a sigh of relief when she hears his heart beating.

"I'm so happy you're alive…"

"Partner, what do we do? The royalists will really arrive at any second" Derflinger sounds worried. She bites her lips.

"I don't know. I'm in no condition to fight…" she sees Louis' wand lying a few meters away, and without thinking stands up and goes to pick it up. She's regaining a bit of her energy, but it isn't enough. She looks towards Wales' corpse with a saddened look.

Just then, the ground next to her feet shifts. She jumps up, scared, and grabs Derflinger without thinking, but she doesn't need to worry. From the hole, a brown thing appears and pounces her without hesitation.

"Ahhh! What the hell is this?!"

"Verdandi! You've found her! Good boy!" from the same hole, Guiche's head appears. His cheeks are dusted with dirt, but he has a smile from ear to ear. Next to him appears Kirche.

"Who would have thought, your mole was actually useful for something."

"Of course he is! Didn't you see? He can dig a hole anywhere! And thanks to his fantastic memory he also found Sachiko!"

"Guiche! Get you mole off me now!" Sachiko yells, pushing the animal away from her with her feet. Guiche gasps.

"Hey, don't do that! Verdandi is just being friendly!"

"Anyway, what happened here?" Kirche asks, looking around the destroyed chapel. When her eyes stop on Louis she gasps in horror, and pushes Guiche away to climb off the hole and run towards him. "Louis! What happened to him?! Who did this?!"

"We don't have time to explain!" with the mole off her, Sachiko takes Derflinger and drags Kirche from the arm. "We need to leave this place! A battle is approaching! Kirche or Guiche, please take Louis with you!"

"Wait Sachiko, what are you-?" Guiche tries to ask but shuts up when she turns to glare at him coldly.

"I said we need to leave. Kirche, take Louis away!"

"A-Alright!" she urges Guiche to help her, and together they drag him towards the hole. Sachiko, on the other hand, kneels next to Wales' body. "Sachiko, you need to come too!"

"I'll be there in a second!" she searches Wales' body, looking for something to bring back to the princess, but finds nothing. With a sad sight, she closes the prince's eyes and joins her hands in small prayer. "Brave prince, you won't be forgotten. I swear to you that I'll also defend the things I believe in" she bows her head and stands up, entering the hole just before the doors of the chapel are thrown open in the heat of the battle.

* * *

Verdandi was being carried in Sylphid's claws. The poor mole had been whimpering from the moment they got out of the hole.

"Guiche, I swear, if your familiar doesn't shut up soon…" Louis, who had woken up the moment Tabitha started treating his injuries, says in a low, dangerous voice. Guiche gulps.

"What would you do if you were in his situation?" then he looks out from one side. "Please, just hold on a little more, my cute Verdandi!"

Verdandi gives another whimper, but this time it sounds a little more determined. Louis rolls his eyes before glancing up at Kirche.

"I can sit up well enough, you know?" he tells her with irritation. His head is lying on her lap while she gently runs her fingers through his hair. She scoffs.

"You have two broken ribs. Do you really think you should be making any effort now?"

"Tabitha already cured me!"

"She diminished the pain, but she alone can't mend your broken bones, so until we arrive at Tristania, you will stay here" she smiles brightly, just making Louis even more irritated.

"No way, I'm getting off now!" he tries to sit up, but Kirche holds him down; "Zerbst!"

"Why are you being so difficult? I'm just worried about you!"

"I'm perfectly fine on my own!"

"Louis, it's alright, you don't need to pretend to be strong. After what that guy did to you…" she lowers her head, her eyes acquiring a deadly glow. Louis sighs, using her distraction to sit up. "Louis, what did I tell-?"

"Kirche" her name is what does it. He very rarely calls her by her name, so when he actually does, it always manages to send a pleasurable shudder down her spine that completely destabilizes her. She looks at him, her face getting warmer and warmer; "I'm fine, and I thank you for wanting to take care of me, but now it's not the moment. There's not a lot of space up here, you know? And I'm taking a big part just by lying instead of sitting."

"That's right" Guiche agrees, unconsciously caressing Sachiko's hair, who's leaning on his shoulder, completely asleep. Kirche pouts before letting out a sigh of defeat.

"Fine, but you will let me take care of you back in the academy, right?" she asks with hope.

"…If that makes you happy…" Kirche beams and offers her shoulder for him to rest, but he ignores her, instead crawling towards Guiche and Sachiko. "You've had her enough, now it's my turn."

Guiche looks at him, shocked, while Kirche's mouth falls open. "What do you mean 'it's my turn'? I didn't know we took turns to let Sachiko sleep on our shoulders."

"If you don't want me to throw you off Sylphid, you will shut up and obey" Louis says, his eyes cold. Guiche swallows in fear, before carefully handing over Sachiko. When her head rests on his shoulder, Louis winces, but it's not something he cannot take. Although Kirche said Tabitha wasn't able to mend his bones, he thinks she managed to cure them at least a little, as he doesn't find breathing as painful as before. And he would rather stand the weight of Sachiko on his tattered body than seeing her resting on Guiche's shoulder for another second.

Guiche bites his lips, worried about him, but he ends up shaking his head and turning to the front, not wanting Louis to enact his threat. Kirche just looks at him for a while longer, her calculating eyes going from him to Sachiko's sleeping face, before she also turns around, pretending to be interested in what Tabitha's reading, sitting next to her. With no one looking at them, Louis sighs and looks at Sachiko's face.

He cannot put into words what he's feeling at the moment. Too many things happened in such a small amount of time he doesn't know how he can stand without crying or shouting in despair. His conversation with Wales replays in his mind, and it's the only thing he finds he can rescue from anything that happened in that chapel. At least, the two of them made up before his death… death caused by Wardes, whom he always thought of as a brother. His treason was even more painful than the broken ribs he'd given him, and sincerely, the only thing he wanted to do whenever he remembered Wardes' killing intent as he was pressing his foot on top of him, was crumbling into pieces until he could no longer feel anything.

That's why; the only thing he allows himself to think about is Sachiko. Sachiko, who came to rescue him, who beat up Wardes and saved his life. This girl who was sleeping on his shoulder, tired after giving everything of her for him.

 _It's not worth lying to myself anymore…_

He didn't want to either. Her cheeks have dirt and blood on them, so he cleans her face with his sleeve. She sighs, smiling in dreams, and he bites his lips.

He looks at the other three. They're completely absorbed in their own worlds. His eyes return to Sachiko. He nods to himself, before cupping her face with a hand. Slowly, gently, he presses his lips to hers.

Sachiko sighs again, and he pulls away, scared she has woken up, but she's still completely asleep. He sighs and looks away, avoiding further temptation.

It is done, he shouldn't worry, it's just a small crush, he's sure of it.

 _Then why did I feel like my blood boiled?_

* * *

 **A/N: Is it just me who finds Louis' last line incredibly awkward? Anyway, you guys have no idea how difficult it was to write this chapter. I swear I had to rewrite it around ten times before I finally found it acceptable. The fight scene and Louis and Wales conversation were the most complicated, but if you don't like the chapter it's ok, I'm not entirely convinced myself.**

 **So Louis likes Sachiko, don't be so surprised, I've been throwing off hints since chapter six. This turned out much longer than my original draft, why is it so long? Whatever, see you in the next chapter. Oh, and don't think the Louis-Henrietta-Wales thing is completely over. We still need to see things from Henrietta's side.**


	14. Chapter 13: A Step Closer

**.**

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 13: A Step Closer**

 **...**

Lying on Henrietta's couch, Louis can't help but blush while she chants water spells on his chest. They arrived at the palace around an hour ago, and both greetings and exchange of news had been done. Henrietta has a somber face, obviously thinking about everything he had told her since the moment they stepped inside her office.

Wales is dead.

Wardes is a traitor.

But the letter is safe.

Considering everything that had happened, just the last fact alone it's not enough to compensate the first two. It pains them both equally, but for different reasons. Henrietta feels like she had indirectly caused Wales' death by sending Wardes with them to Albion. Louis feels regret he could do nothing while Wardes killed the prince, while Wales died in his arms.

"With this you should be cured" Henrietta puts down her wand, her eyes wandering over his chest, as if she could see where else he needs to be tended. Louis nods, sitting up and reaching for his shirt. "Luckily your ribs were not really broken, or we would have needed more than spells."

"They hurt just the same" he says, but his voice is distant, as if in a dream.

Sachiko is sitting on the couch opposite them. She's been looking at the whole exchange without uttering a word. "Believe me Louis, if they had been broken, you wouldn't have been able to breath. They were only bruised, cracked at most" she says, remembering the pain of her arm the time she dueled with Guiche. If it was that kind of pain on something so delicate like the thorax, she wouldn't be able to stand it, she thinks.

"Well, it felt that way _to me_ " he glances away, finishing with his shirt. Henrietta stands up, leaving her wand on top of the desk. She doesn't turn around, instead intently looking at the wooden surface, holding back tears. Louis looks at Sachiko for a second, before standing up and approaching the princess. "Henrietta, will you be alright?"

"I don't know" she sniffs, her body shaking slightly. She's doing her best not to cry, to be strong. "Right now I wish to be alone."

"I see. Then, we'll…"

"But I don't want you to leave" she dries her wet eyes and turns to look at him. Louis doesn't say anything, waiting for when she's ready. "Did Wales read my letter?"

"He did" she nods. Louis bites his lips, his hand unconsciously going up to the pocket of his shirt, where he keeps the wind ruby. "He…"

"Didn't love me" her voice is soft, so low he wouldn't be able to hear it if he wasn't so close. Louis quickly shakes his head.

"Henrietta, he did love you. It's for that reason…"

"No, he didn't" her voice is a little louder, and this time Sachiko can hear her. She stands up and carefully walks up to them. "If he did, he would have run away like I asked him to, he would have come to me, but instead, he… he…" she cries, burying her face on her hands. Louis doesn't know what to say. He has never been good comforting people. He doesn't need to do anything though; Sachiko does it in his place.

"That is not the case, princess" Henrietta slowly looks up, sobbing, and stares at her questioningly. "I can't say I understand his reasons, because I really can't. He asked me to tell you that he fought and died bravely, but I get the feeling that is not what he really wanted to say."

"It's the way of men. When they fight their wars they never think of what they leave behind, of the people they hurt with their decision" she lowers her head, sniffing. Sachiko smiles sadly.

"That may be the case most of the time, but maybe just not this once. The prince said he couldn't come to Tristain, because that would give Reconquista a reason to attack. And being there… surrounded by the misery of war and enemies that would hunt him down to the ends of the world… maybe there was more in his decision than the simple desire to die in glory. That's… what I think."

Henrietta doesn't say anything, her eyes returning to the floor. She bites her lips so strongly it looks like she's going to tear them open, but after a while, she relaxes. Her shoulders sag, and her whole body looks tired, like she has given everything of her and returned with nothing. She closes her eyes, and when she opens them again, gives Sachiko a small, sad smile.

"You're right. I don't understand, and I really don't want to. Reconquista would still find a way to attack Tristain, whether he came or not, that's why I asked him, but maybe… there's more to his death than what we can see. Unfortunately, we may never know…" she sighs. Louis takes the opportunity to speak up.

"Henrietta" he takes out the wind ruby from his pocket and hands it to her. Her eyes widen upon seeing it, and she takes it with shaky hands. "The prince asked me to give this to you… so you could remember him" he lies. But he sees more logic in giving it to Henrietta than keeping it for himself. Henrietta caresses the ruby with tender eyes and slides it on her ring finger. It's too big for her, but with a small chant and a wave of her wand, the band shrinks until it fits snuggly around her finger. She looks at Louis with the same gratefulness she gave Sachiko.

"Thank you."

There's a sweet ambiance left after the princess' words. That is, until Sachiko remembers something suddenly.

"Ah, princess."

"Yes, kind familiar?"

"I give this back to your highness" she takes out the water ruby and hands it to her. Henrietta looks at it for a second, before her eyes go to Louis.

"It was too small for your finger?"

"Em, yes, so I had to…"

She shakes her head, and with another wave of her wand, the band of the ring augments of size, until it looks like it can fit Louis' fingers. She grabs his right hand and slides it on his pointer finger. Louis gasps.

"Henrietta, what are you…?"

"For the ruby you gave me" she says simply, and gives him a look full of meaning. Louis can say nothing against that. He doesn't know if she understood the wind ruby was a gift for him and not her, but he prefers not to say anything, just in case. Henrietta walks away, towards the window, and looks out. "Familiar, you said that Wales wanted to fight and die bravely, didn't you?"

"Y-Yes!"

"Then, in that case, I will live bravely, for him, and everything he means to me."

And that's a promise she plans to keep, no matter the cost.

* * *

"How much time do you think it will take?"

"You mean, for the news of Reconquista's victory to spread?"

"Yes, what else?"

"Mmm, I would say a few days. It happened just this morning, so it is too soon. First they would need to organize a new government and then send word to every country of Halkeginia. After that it's the work of the crown to spread it to the nobles and them to the commoners."

"The difficult part is organizing, but after that word should get around fast. More so if you take into consideration travelers and merchants can get things going faster than the crown."

"My thoughts exactly."

"You two…" Louis turns to glare at Kirche and Guiche; "aren't you tired of discussing the same thing over and over? This has to be the millionth time you had this conversation."

"It's your fault, because you're holding back information" Kirche complains, crossing her arms. Guiche nods in agreement.

"We helped with this mission, the less you can do is tell us what the contents of the letter you had to retrieve are."

"I don't have to tell you anything, and you already know everything that is important. Besides, didn't you say you didn't need to know what the princess asked of us?" he asks Guiche.

"That was then, and this is now. And I can't help but wonder: why did the princess even asked _you_ to do this mission? You're just Louis the Zero" he says with spite. Louis narrows his eyes and is about to open his mouth to retort something nasty, but is interrupted by Sachiko.

"Guiche, Kirche, stop being so curious. Can't you just be happy we're finally arriving at the academy?" she points forward, where the form of the academy is starting to appear. They're all on top of Sylphid. "I know you're both tired, we all are, but sincerely, if Louis didn't tell you anything from the beginning, it means he simply won't, no matter how much you beg."

"In that case, you should tell us" Guiche grins mischievously. Sachiko shakes her head. Louis looks at Kirche with a raised eyebrow.

"Aren't you going to ask Sachiko?"

"Leave me alone" she glances away, looking crestfallen. Sachiko and Guiche exchange a glance. Louis, on the other hand, has a bad feeling about this.

* * *

They arrive an hour after sunset. Sachiko is pretty tired, so she goes directly to bed as soon as she steps inside the room. Her head falls on the mattress and she closes her eyes, covering herself with the blanket. Louis looks at her with curiosity.

"Are you that tired?"

"Yes."

"I imagine you won't accompany me to Old Osmond's office."

Sachiko opens one eye to look at him. "Why do you have to go there?"

"I need to report we're back. He's the one who allowed us to go to Albion after all, so he more or less knows what the situation is."

"Oh…" Sachiko nods lightly, closing her eyes again.

"Kirche, Tabitha and Guiche also have to go."

"Do they?"

"They left the academy without permission, so they'll be punished."

"I see."

She can hear Louis saying something else, but she's too tired to understand the words, and before she knows it, the next time she opens her eyes, sun streams from the window, hitting her directly on the face. She groans to herself, rolling to the other side and preparing to sleep again.

Before she bolts up, eyes wide open. "Crap! I overslept!"

"Why are you being so noisy this early in the morning?"

"Louis!" she turns around, just to see him in front of his wardrobe, buttoning up his shirt. She blinks with surprise. "You… dressed by yourself?"

"Uh, yes, I did. Thank you for pointing out the obvious" he says with a small frown. Sachiko shakes her head.

"I-I'm not talking about that! Well, yes, actually I am, but what I mean is that you didn't wake me up to do it! Usually when I oversleep you're always there to kick me or scream at me for being a useless familiar…" her voice is full of incredulity, her eyes even more so. Louis can't help but look away in embarrassment.

"You're making me sound like a bad person…" he whispers. Sachiko raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms, making Louis' blush increase. "Ok, ok, maybe it's like that, but I just… I don't know, I thought you might be tired after everything that happened yesterday. You know, with fighting Wardes and all…" he shrugs, still not looking at her.

Sachiko is at a loss for words. "You… care about that?"

"N-Not really, it's just… um, a master needs to take care of his familiar" he sputters an excuse before shaking his head. "Never mind about that, let me see your arm" he goes to her and urges her to show him her arm. Sachiko rolls her eyes.

"It's not that b-ouch!" she winces the moment Louis' fingers touch the wound. He immediately pulls his hands away, simply examining her with his eyes. It's true; it looks a lot better considering the state it was in just two days ago, but it still needs more healing. He sighs.

"It's because you kept using it yesterday instead of letting it rest, otherwise, it might not be hurting you so much now" he says, delicately rolling down the sleeve of the parka and standing.

"It's not like we had much option" Sachiko responds in a whisper.

Louis doesn't answer. He looks at himself in the mirror and fixes his hair. Sachiko stares at him for a moment, before letting out a sigh. Along with the princess, he must be one of the most affected after what happened yesterday. She would ask, but she's afraid she might hurt him unnecessarily, so she simply stays quiet. If he wants to talk about it, he will do it on his own.

"Well, let's go eat breakfast."

She nods and follows him, using her fingers to brush her hair. Her hair is straight, curling a little on the ends, so it's easy to brush and never really gets tangled.

When they arrive at the dining hall, Sachiko stands behind Louis after pulling out a chair for him, but he doesn't grab fork and knife, instead fidgeting like he's nervous. This causes Sachiko to wonder if he's fine.

"Um, Louis?" she asks with concern. He stiffens, shakes his head, and looks at her from the corner of his eye.

"Ehm, you… y-you can sit on the table."

"Huh?" she stares at him. Is he serious or is this her imagination?

"You heard me, didn't you? Just sit already!" he commands impatiently, staring at the front again, his face flushed. Sachiko blinks, but does as he says with haste, worried he might take it back if she doesn't hurry. Being on the table is so weird. She's used to seeing everything so far away from her place behind Louis. Staring directly at the culinary wonders displayed in front of her is making her mouth watery. She swallows, impatient to taste some of the food already.

 _This is great, but… why is Louis letting me eat on the table now? Is it just for today or it will be something regular from now on?_ She can't help but wonder the reason behind Louis' actions. He told her he had let her sleep more because of what happened yesterday but, what is his reason to let her sit on the table now?

"H-Hey, why are you looking at me like that?" Sachiko blinks at the question, having not even realized she'd been staring at him; and rapidly gazes away.

"Sorry. It's just… you're letting me eat on the table now?" she asks, shifting nervously in her seat.

"Ehm… yes" Louis also gazes away. "I mean, it's because you… you did a good job there in Albion, so… a reward must be bestowed" he says it fast, trying to act indifferently.

"Ah… it's because of that…" she nods to herself. _Sounds reasonable._

"Yes. It is expected, after all" he assures her firmly. In that moment, a fat boy called Malicorne approaches them, and upon seeing Sachiko sitting on the table, frowns. He crosses his arms and speaks to Louis.

"Hey Louis, what is your familiar doing here? She's on my seat!"

Louis rolls his eyes. "Shut up and just go get another chair."

"Are you kidding? This is a table for nobles! Hey familiar, fuck off!" he yells at Sachiko. Louis' eyebrows twitch. He stands up abruptly, taking the other two by surprise.

"Don't you dare speak to her like that! She may be a familiar, but she's also a woman, so I suggest to mind your language, especially when I'm nearby" he declares in a hostile tone. Sachiko's eyes are wide open; surprised that Louis is defending her like that. Malicorne, however, is not amused.

"Especially when you're nearby? And what are you going to do? Challenge me to a duel?" he laughs, looking down on him. Other people are gazing curiously at the scene by then, so Malicorne takes the opportunity to further humiliate Louis. "Louis the Zero wants to fight for the sake of his familiar, isn't this touching? To think a love story would be born from such a situation, this sure is perturbing" he says, still laughing.

Louis immediately blushes a deep crimson color from rage and shame, while the students around them start laughing as well. He doesn't know what to retort, but he knows he has to retort something, less his honor be tainted even more than what already is. He opens his mouth to counter Malicorne's words, when suddenly Sachiko stands up and grabs the boy by his shirt. He's a little taller than her, so she drags him down to her eye level and bares her teeth.

"What'd you say, fatty?" she asks dangerously. She had been listening quietly all this time, knowing better than to meddle on Louis' discussion, but after hearing about their 'perturbing love story' she can't control herself anymore. She is sure to give Malicorne a piece of her mind, along with all the other idiots who dared laugh at Louis.

Malicorne's eyes are wide as saucers. Her grip is strong and it's difficult to breath from the pressure she puts in it. He suddenly remembers three weeks ago, when she so easily defeated Guiche on a duel, and grows scared from her fury.

"N-nothing, I'm sorry!" he cries out, trembling. All the other students stare in awe, Louis included.

"I'm sorry, what?" she asks, still menacingly.

"I'm sorry, ma'am!"

Sachiko releases him and Malicorne runs off, searching for a chair. She looks around, putting her hands on her hips. "Anyone else has something to say?" nobody speaks, hastily returning their attention to their food. Sachiko scoffs. "I didn't think so."

She sits down again, before seeing Louis looking at her with surprise. "What?" she asks, tilting her head to the side innocently. Louis blinks, before sitting too.

"Nothing, just… it keeps surprising me how strong you are" _for a girl_ is the comment he doesn't make, but that both know is implicated. Sachiko blushes and looks away, feeling embarrassed, and Louis can't help but feel bad for saying that, even though it is the truth. He wants to thank her, but finds it difficult due to his mixed feelings.

He's glad Sachiko had stood for him, but at the same time, can't help but feel his pride a bit hurt for having a girl defending him. Not only that, but he also failed miserably when he tried to do just that for her. That hurt his pride even more. He sighs when the prayer starts, and decides to leave his gloomy thoughts for later. Now is time to eat.

* * *

 _That was a really nice meal_ Sachiko thinks while entering the classroom. She's pretty satisfied and now just feels like dozing off for the rest of the class. She sits on the floor and closes her eyes, but soon feels someone shaking her shoulders.

"Hey, wake up" she opens her eyes and sees Louis, who has already separated from her and sat down on his chair. She groans questioningly. "Why don't you seat with me? You've always wanted to see the class, right?" he asks, and Sachiko immediately feels all the drowsiness disappearing from her body.

"Y-you're serious?" Louis nods, and she stands up, now a little excited. "Is this a reward as well?"

"Naturally" Sachiko smiles and rests her elbows on the table. Some kids look at her with curious expressions, but none of them feels the necessity to point out she's sitting in a place she isn't supposed to. Most of them had seen the scene from this morning with Malicorne, so even if there is someone who doesn't like her being there, they won't say anything.

"Hey Kirche, are you sure you're fine?"

"Yes, we heard Old Osmond gave you detention for not coming to classes for three days."

"Did something happen?"

Kirche huffs, ignoring her admirers, a cheek resting on her hand. Sachiko looks at the scene curiously. It's true that Kirche, Tabitha and Guiche were punished for skipping classes without notice, so it's obvious it would make their classmates wonder the reason for that. Even quiet Tabitha is being asked by a few classmates, but the girl dutifully ignores them, concentrated on her book. Sachiko wonders how Guiche is doing. He's in another class after all. A second later she frowns, asking herself why she cares about Guiche.

To her immense surprise, even Louis gets surrounded by curious students.

"Louis, you were absent three days too, right?"

"Yes, what did you do?"

"Why are you the only one who wasn't given detention?"

"You went somewhere with Kirche and Tabitha?"

Louis shakes his head. "You guys should only care about yourselves. I was just running some errands for my family in Tristania, with the Headmaster's permission."

"Then what about Kirche and Tabitha?" a girl asks with a frown.

"That's right! Were they with you? And Guiche too?"

"I don't know about them. You should ask them instead of bothering me" he sounds jaded, and his tone is a little harsh. The students frown, feeling offended.

"Well, it's just Louis the Zero."

"It's not like he could have done anything impressive."

"Running errands is the only thing he can do."

Sachiko frowns; angry they're badmouthing Louis so cheekily. She wants to say something to them, but another person beats her to it.

"Is that the only thing you can do? Complain like children when you don't obtain what you want?" the girl has curly blond hair and freckles, and a red ribbon on top of her head. Sachiko knows her by face: Montmorency, Guiche's ex-girlfriend. She crosses her arms and looks at the other students sternly. "Leave Louis alone. You already got your answers, so go pester someone else."

The students complain, but they scatter elsewhere. Montmorency sighs and looks at Louis.

"Really, this happens because you don't know how to lie properly."

"I wasn't lying" Louis snaps back. Montmorency quirks an eyebrow.

"So you were really running errands these past three days?"

"You know what? What I do or stop doing is none of your business, so I don't need to give you or anyone else explanations for my behavior or what I do in my free time."

"I was just trying to help! You don't need to get all defensive like that!" she yells with a blush, before her eyes meet Sachiko's. For a moment she looks like she wants to say something, but quickly shakes her head and speaks to Louis again. "It makes one wonder though, that not only you, but Kirche, Tabitha and Guiche as well disappeared the same day and for the same amount of time."

"So you want to know where Guiche disappeared to, no?" Montmorency gasps.

"No! I don't care about that cheater anymore! Am I not allowed to care about you?"

"Now, when I coincidentally disappear from the academy at the same moment than Guiche?"

"Ugh, you're impossible!" she stomps away, frustrated, her hair bellowing out behind her as she complains loudly to no one in particular. Louis rolls his eyes, before he feels Sachiko staring at him.

"What?" he's a little embarrassed that she's looking at him. Sachiko blinks, shaking her head.

"Nothing, just… this is the first time I've seen the two of you talking… but it sounds like you know each other well. Are you friends?"

"With Montmorency?" Sachiko nods. Louis snorts. "Not at all. We've just known each other since we were little."

"Oh, so she's a childhood friend?"

"Ehm, no… she's actually my-"

The teacher enters in that moment, so Sachiko can't hear the end of it. Being able to see the class for the first time, she soon forgets their talk about Montmorency.

* * *

When the class is over, Sachiko stretches, letting out a happy hum. The class was fun, being the first time she could actually see what the teachers were doing. Louis palms a sheath of papers in his hands, neatly straightening them on the desk. He's always so prim and proper when it comes to schoolwork, the complete opposite to her, who barely could keep an eye open during lessons.

"You are very thoughtful in everything you do" she comments almost unconsciously. Louis stiffens, losing grip of the papers as they fall all over the desk and the floor. "Ah, I'm sorry!"

"No! I-I…" he crouches and starts to gather the papers. Sachiko does the same, but on the other side. "I was distracted, you surprised me" he says this as he blushes. When they recover all the papers, they sit down again, Sachiko handing her share to him, and he starts rearranging them.

"I'm sorry" he shakes his head, doing his best not to look at her. Sachiko has noticed since this morning, but something very weird is going on with Louis. She carefully stands up, drawing Louis' attention. "I need to go to the bathroom" she says.

"Ah… ok" he looks away, slowing the movements of his hands. Sachiko waits, because he looks like he wants to say something else, but he doesn't, so she simply shrugs and walks away. When she's out of the classroom, Louis slams his head against the desk. "What's going on with me?"

"That should be my question" his head snaps up just too see Kirche sitting on Sachiko's chair. He purses his lips with irritation.

"What do you want?"

"This morning I saw a group of girls surrounding Guiche. They were asking why didn't he come to classes for three days, and he was about to blabber about the mission. Luckily, I could stop him from saying anything unnecessary, but it's just amazing how careless he can be."

"Huh, do you want me to congratulate you then?" Kirche scoffs, crossing her arms and glaring at him.

"I was just reporting back, since it was your mission but you were not careful to tell Guiche to keep his mouth shut."

"He should know better. I am not his nanny" he answers in the same tone, his eyes traveling to the door of the classroom. Kirche follows his eyes. Her fingers clench the material of her shirt.

"Missing her already?" she asks derisively. Louis blinks, looking at her with his mouth open.

"Huh?"

"Don't play dumb, I'm talking about Sachiko" this manages to make Louis blush. He frowns, crossing his arms as well.

"Why would I miss her? She just went to the bathroom. Besides, it's not like there's a reason for me to miss her or anything."

"Is that so…" her eyes narrow. This makes Louis feel annoyed.

"Say what you want to say already Zerbst. I know you didn't come to talk to me only to tell me about Guiche" she rolls her eyes, but she looks more tired than annoyed.

"Just be careful, ok?" Louis frowns, not understanding. "You are playing with fire, my dear, and that is not your field" she stands up, giving him a few pats on the cheek. "A cute little boy like you should stick with simple things. There's no need for you to complicate your existence even more."

"Don't touch me" he slaps her hand away. Kirche simply grins, turning around and returning to her seat. Louis frowns, thinking about her words. Just what was she trying to say, exactly? His mind comes up with an answer almost instantly, but he quickly dismisses it, finding it ridiculous. The new teacher enters the classroom, so he returns his attention to the front.

Sachiko doesn't come back to class.

* * *

There's a small shed between the main and fire towers. When Sachiko enters, a musty smell fills her lungs. She pinches her nose with a grimace.

"Sorry about the smell. You might get used to it soon, I think" Mr. Colbert says, leaving his folders in a near desk. Around him, she can see shelves full of flasks and other miscellaneous stuff. There are also bookshelves, with many different books arranged in them, and cages with birds, lizards, and other creatures she has never seen before.

"It's ok… nothing I can't bear" she says, not really paying attention as she eyes everything with curiosity. Just when she was returning from the bathroom, she came across Mr. Colbert, who asked her to follow him to his lab because he had found something that could help her go back to her world. "So… about this thing…"

"Yes, of course" he searches for a book in his bookshelf, before taking out a small tome. "You see, when you told us you came from a different world, I started to investigate immediately. The hints are few and I wouldn't be exaggerating to say it's a near impossible thing to do, but spending sleepless nights bear their results."

"Oh, you didn't have to worry so much" she feels bad that he has spent so much time searching for her sake, but Mr. Colbert shrugs, giving her a bright smile.

"Come on, don't make that face, there's nothing I enjoy more than investigating, especially something as fascinating as this" he opens the book and hands it to her. Sachiko simply stares at it before giving it back. "Oh, you didn't…?"

"I don't know how to read" she says bluntly. Mr. Colbert blushes.

"Oh, of course, you're from a different world, silly of me" he laughs awkwardly before clearing his throat. "Well, basically, this is not really a book but a written record of a traveler I came across around ten years ago. I knew it wasn't the first time I heard of someone coming from a different world, but I couldn't remember where exactly I read about it, so I started looking through all my books, one by one."

"Heh. That must have been hard" Sachiko says, looking at the bookshelves and desk, stacked with books beyond their capacity. Mr. Colbert nods.

"And just yesterday night I finally found it. Here, this traveler talks about his visit to the village of Tarbes, where the townspeople told them of their sacred 'Dragon's Raiment' an object brought sixty years ago by a man claiming to be from a different world."

"A man… from a different world?" Sachiko's eyes widen.

"Exactly. He mounted this 'Dragon's Raiment' and came to Tristain from the east. However, for some reason not even the man could, or would, explain, he never went back to his own world, instead staying in the village and forming a family there. After that, it seems he worked hard his whole life so he could pay square mages to put a permanent spell on this dragon, and build a shed for it. Apparently, not everyone believed his dragon could actually fly, and of course, no one believed he came from a different world" he closes the book and looks at Sachiko with a smile. "Quite the story, don't you think?"

"Um, it is…" Sachiko is not really listening, she's thinking about this man and 'Dragon's Raiment' deeply. _Could this be real? Could this man really be from my world? And what is this Dragon's Raiment?_ "Is the man still in the village?" her heart is beating fast. It might not be much, but it's something. This could be the first step to finding a way back to her world.

Colbert shakes his head sadly. "No, he passed away thirteen years ago. But his family still lives in the village, and the dragon is there too" he puts the book away before giving Sachiko a meaningful look. "If it interests you, we could go to Tarbes and ask about him and the dragon."

"We… could we really do that?" she has to tell her heart to stop beating so fast, it's making it difficult for her to concentrate on what Colbert is saying, but she can't help it. She feels like she could fly off in that very moment.

"Yes, of course we could. The village is not far, just three days on horse. But…" he taps his lips with his fingers, looking at the floor, "I'd have to ask Old Osmond for permission to leave the academy… and I have work to do…"

"Oh…" she could just go by herself, she thinks, but the prospect of doing such a long trek alone doesn't make her feel safe. "Then… how long would it take?"

"At least ten days" Sachiko deflates upon hearing this.

"I see" she looks around, before her eyes fall on a strange object lying on a table. She approaches it slowly, squinting to get a better look at it. "Is this… some kind of machine?"

"Oh, it has caught your interest, I see!" Mr. Colbert quickly goes to her side and grabs the machine. He places it on top of the desk in front of her. "It's a little thing I've been working on for a while. Do you want to see how it works?"

Although surprised at the sudden rush of excitement from the teacher, Sachiko nods; ever the curious one. Her answer makes Colbert smile, and he gets to work immediately, arranging the necessary things. Once everything is ready, he straightens and clears his throat.

"Look carefully Sachiko. What you do with this is: first, you vaporize the oil" he steps repeatedly in some bellows. "The oil will ascend in the tube" he takes out his wand and puts it on a hole he has opened. He recites an incantation and some explosions are heard. "The explosions will move the piston up and down. The power is transferred to the crank which spins the wheel, and…" a little box on one side gets open, and a toy snake pops out, entering and exiting the box over and over. "The little snake comes to greet us! Isn't it exciting?"

"A-A snake, why a snake?" Sachiko shakes her head. That isn't the important part. "It's amazing! Mr. Colbert, what you have here is an engine!"

"An engine?" he asks, stopping his movements. Sachiko nods.

"It's used in my world for… um, ships and carriages… so you don't need to use horses or… whatever you use for flying ships…" she wishes she could explain better, but her knowledge is pretty limited. To her surprise, Colbert nods vehemently.

"Yes! That's exactly what you can use it for! In this case it just makes the snake come out, but it can be used for so many other things! And I used magic to activate it, but if we could find a way to make a flint, even commoners could use it! Imagine the possibilities!" he exclaims enthusiastically, completely gone. But suddenly, he deflates, his shoulders sagging. "At least that's what I wanted to explain to my students the other day, when I presented it to them…"

"They… didn't like it?"

"We can do all of those things with magic, and there's not really a reason to develop it more just for the commoners" he explains sadly. "This came to me when I was thinking of a way to use fire magic in everyday life. Everyone believes fire magic can only be used in the battlefield, but just destroying things it's a little sad, don't you think? As a fire mage, it makes me feel that way at least."

"I'm sorry to hear that" Sachiko says sincerely. Mr. Colbert sighs, looking at her with a small smile.

"But thanks to you I feel a little better. So you say they use this 'engine' in your world, right?"

"Yes, we do, for a lot of things actually."

"Would you care to tell me more about your world?" Sachiko blinks.

"You… want to know about my world?"

"Of course, why else would I be asking?" he laughs lightly, and Sachiko smiles.

"I would love to! Ah, but I'm not really knowledgeable about these things… so I might not be of much help."

"It's alright; just listening to you will be enough."

Sachiko feels a sudden warmness in her chest. It's the first time someone has asked her to tell them about her place of origin. Even if they didn't know she was from another world, they usually didn't ask or commented anything when she told them she wasn't from Halkeginia. Not even Louis, who was the first to know she came from a different world.

 _Well, it's not like I would be able to tell them much anyway, but still…_ she sits down and talks with Colbert. She's so entertained with this she completely forgets about Louis, and that he's probably waiting for her in the classroom.

* * *

"Hold it better! It's about to fall!"

"I'm trying! Come on Shiro, you help too!"

"I'm helping!"

"Hey, you!" the voice is heard behind them. Both Shiro and the maid jump in surprise, letting the old big kettle fall to the ground with a sonorous clank. They wince, before turning to see Louis approaching them with quick steps.

"Mr. Vallière" Shiro bows respectfully, and the maid does the same, ignoring the rude way he called for him. Louis barely pays attention to that, his eyes focused on the man.

"Have you seen Sa- _my familiar_?" he corrects, blushing a little at the blunder. Shiro blinks, before raising an eyebrow.

"No… actually, I didn't know you returned from your trip" he admits. Louis clicks his tongue, folding his arms.

"Yesterday night. If you didn't know that then it's useless asking you. I've just wasted my time" without saying anything else, he turns around and leaves, briskly walking away until he's out of their sight. The maid looks at Shiro.

"That's strange; Mr. Vallière is usually more polite. I wonder if there's something troubling him. He looked kind of shaken."

"Um" Shiro is not really wondering about that. He's thinking about Sachiko, and that she still hasn't come by to say she's back. "We shouldn't worry about that. Come on Siesta, let's get this thing outside" he grabs one edge of the kettle and picks it up. The maid named Siesta, with short dark hair and freckles scattered on her nose and cheeks, nods and does the same.

In another part of the academy, Louis passes a hand through his hair while looking around. Classes had been over for a while, and since then he had been running around the academy searching for Sachiko, to no avail. She didn't even appear for lunch, and if not even that servant had seen her that only is bad news.

 _Come on, we're inside the academy, what do you think could happen to her?_ Sincerely, nothing, he just felt anxious, that's all. Feeling tired by then, he gave up and decided to go back to his room. She had to go there at some point, no? He'll just wait for her there.

He was just closing the door when he heard something tapping on his window. He opened it and let a small owl enter with a piece of paper attached to its leg. He took it and after giving the owl a few pats on the head, it flew off. Looking at the piece of paper in his hands, for some reason he felt like a bucket of cold water was thrown at him.

It was an official document from Henrietta, appointing him as a court member.

* * *

Sachiko returned a little after dinner. She was surprised she spent the whole day with Mr. Colbert, only talking about her world and the man's interest for it. He was a researcher after all, so he absorbed all the information greedily, throwing question after question at her with a curiosity that far exceeded her own. It truly amazed her.

"That was a long trip to the bathroom" Louis says as soon as she enters. He's sitting on his desk, his arms crossed. Sachiko blushes.

"Oh, I'm sorry; I completely forgot to tell you! Mr. Colbert intercepted me and-!"

"Fine, you don't need to explain anything, it's not like I care" he interrupts brusquely, standing up and walking up to her. "Did you eat already?"

"Yes, with Mr. Colbert in his lab."

"Good" he nods. He wanted to yell at her for not telling him she would take so long to come back, but after thinking about it a little, he decided not to. He didn't want her to make herself weird ideas, and besides, he wasn't going to admit she actually made him worry. Not that he was worried or anything… "I received this from Henrietta today" he takes out the document from his pocket and shows it to Sachiko. She only looks at it with a blank look, making Louis roll his eyes. "Thanks to you, now I'm officially a court member."

"Ah… is that good or bad?"

"Ugh, it's good for you because that means now I get to enter the Royal Archive, but bad for me because…" he groans, going back to his desk. "Couldn't Henrietta find another way? She knows I hate the court!"

"So you can finally search for a way back to my world?" Sachiko asks, excited. Louis glares at her, annoyed at her enthusiasm and a little… hurt. Does she really want to leave so badly?

"Yes, but wipe that smile off your face" Sachiko puffs her cheeks, offended, and takes out her tongue at him. Louis feels his heart skip a beat at her cute expression. "I can only go to the capital the days of void, and for a few hours. Like this, it might take more time than what you expect to actually find something."

"It's better than nothing. Besides…" she plays with her fingers, suddenly looking bashful. Louis frowns.

"What?"

"Well, you see, today, with Mr. Colbert…" she explains what the teacher told her, unable to hold back her excitement as she speaks. When she's finished, she smiles brightly. "So, now we're a bit closer to our goal!"

"…" he doesn't say anything, instead turning around and going to his wardrobe. Sachiko blinks, surprised, but he doesn't look at her. He takes out the sleeping robe and begins to unbutton his shirt. After a while, he stops and finally meets her eyes. "Sachiko…"

"Ah! I'm sorry!" she quickly begins moving, helping him get undressed; "I was distracted, now I'll-!"

"No!" he pushes her away, covering his chest protectively; "I just wanted you to stop looking at me! And don't undress me! I can do it alone! I'm not a child, damn it!" he steps away and continues, before once again glaring at her, his face flushed red; "and stop staring! It's creeping me out!"

"Sorry!" she quickly turns around, also blushing, but more from getting worked up than from embarrassment. She frowns as she hears the rustling of fabric on skin. "Um, Louis, what is this?"

"What do you mean?" he sounds hostile, but it's because he's very frustrated with himself. Why does it affect him so much that Sachiko looks at him undressing now?

"You… don't want me to dress you up anymore?"

He swallows, because he had just been thinking about that. He shakes his head, before remembering she isn't looking at him. "I figure making you dress and undress me might be a little too much, so from now on, I'll do it by myself" he answers, trying to sound smooth.

"But, what about nobles don't dressing by themselves when there are servants available?"

"Do you want to keep dressing me up?" he finally asks with irritation. Sachiko shakes her head.

"No! I'm happy with this! Thank you!"

"Good! I'm finished now, you can look" she does, seeing he dressed in his sleeping robe. He walks to the wardrobe again and takes out something from one of the drawers, before handing it to her. Sachiko takes it reflexively, looking at the object with interest. It's one of his shirts. "I wanted to use it today, but I found this" he unfolds it and shows her one part of the shirt, stitched back together with white thread. It's so smooth and light you wouldn't be able to see it unless you knew it was there, and yet, Louis had somehow see it. Sachiko swallows. "Care to tell me why this is here?"

"I… ripped the shirt by accident while I was washing…" she admits and closes her eyes, waiting for Louis to snap at her. But he only sighs, making Sachiko open her eyes and look at him, shocked.

"I thought so. You should have told me."

"I was afraid… you would get angry…"

"Well, it bothers me you were not sincere" he says, crossing his arms; "but at least you had the decency to try and fix it instead of simply throwing it away" Sachiko sweat drops. If only he knew… "However, I can't use this anymore, so now it's yours."

"Huh?" Sachiko blinks. Louis looks away, blushing.

"You heard me. I won't use something that's been patched up, especially when I have others. But it's not damaged enough to justify getting rid of it. You could… use it as pajamas, I don't know" he sits on his bed and looks at her, as if waiting for her to say something.

Sachiko simply stares. "Use your… shirt as pajamas…" and she starts blushing. Louis groans.

"Don't say it like that! You make it sound dirty!"

"Y-Yeah, but…"

"Argh, if that's how you want to be, then give it back! I'll throw it away!" he stands up and tries to take the shirt from her hands, but she protectively hugs it to her chest, getting away.

"No! I will use it! Let me use it!"

"Then stop complaining already!" he huffs in irritation and finally enters his bed, covering himself with the blankets and snapping his fingers to turn the light off.

"Hey! I need to change!"

"Just go to sleep already!"

Rolling her eyes, Sachiko sits on her mattress and begins to undress, making sure he isn't looking. She trembles when the cool material of the shirt touches her bare skin. _To think one day I would do this, wearing your boyfriend's shirt it's a legendary thing I've only seen in manga! I'm so happy to be alive!_ She wipes a single tear from her eye with a smile. _Well, Louis is not my boyfriend, so it's not the same, but it's still the shirt of a good-looking guy! Ah, it smells so nice…! Eh?_

She struggles with the buttons around her chest, but after a while gives up, realizing it's impossible to close it. _Ahhh, I guess it's not surprising. Louis is pretty slim after all_ ; and while it isn't like she has the biggest chest-size, she isn't exactly small either; around a C-Cup.

Shrugging, she leaves it open and lies down.

"Hey…" Louis' voice breaks the silence of the night just when she's about to fall asleep.

"Yes?" she asks, turning on her side.

"I've been thinking… always sleeping on the floor is a little extreme, don't you think?" he asks in a strange tone. Sachiko frowns.

"It is, yes, but I have nowhere else to sleep, do I?" she doesn't want to sound reprimanding, but it's the truth. She looks at Louis, though she can't see him since he's hiding under the covers. "Why are you bringing this up?"

"Ah" he fidgets and shakes his head. "No, for nothing, just… just…" his voice is trembling. Sachiko sits up, her eyes open. Perhaps, he's going to let her sleep on the bed? _Yeah right. He's being nice now, but that would be just ridiculous…_ she wants to laugh at her own silliness. When Louis keeps stuttering, however, she begins to get worried.

"Um, Louis, are you alright?" she asks in a caring tone. The boy shakes his head vehemently, and turns around so his back is facing her.

"Y-yeah! Just… forget I said anything!"

Sachiko blinks. _You didn't even say anything…_ she lies down again, and finally lets sleep take her over.

At the same time, Louis is repeating in his mind over and over that letting a girl you have feelings for sleep with you in your bed is not proper, familiar or not, so his heart would finally stop bugging him with the idea.

* * *

 **A/N: It's been a while, no? I don't have much to say. This was kind of like a transition chapter, and I somehow managed to make it very long again.**

 **I've been wondering something: do you guys know any male tsunderes similar to the female tsunderes? Or not quite, but you get my point. I know there are plenty, but right now I can only think of Inuyasha and Mikoshiba Mikoto. It just came to mind when I was trying to write Louis being tsundere.**

 **I'll try to bring the next chapter before July ends, but I don't promise anything. See you!**

 **EDIT: Because I realized it might be a little confusing, I'll clarify it: Shiro IS Siesta's genderbent version, the Siesta here is another character who fills a minor role. Sorry about that.**


	15. Chapter 14: Royal Archive

**A/N: I'm really, really sorry for the long wait. I can only say one thing to explain my absence: my new schedule sucks. It sucks so much it makes me want to cry, and September it's not much better. But I'll try to bring new chapters whenever I can, even if I take a long time. With that said, I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 14: Royal Archive**

 **...**

Louis is concentrated in the book he's reading, so he doesn't notice or ignores the way Sachiko has been staring at him since almost an hour ago. It's the day of void and, as promised, they are in the Royal Archive, located in the palace. Sachiko is wearing a dress, much to her displeasure, but for some reason, the travel on horse wasn't as bad as in previous occasions. She wonders if it's because she's getting used to riding horses.

Putting aside the book, Louis sighs and massages his temples, closing his eyes with his elbows on the table. Sachiko doesn't ask when she grabs a book and flips it open, but, as expected, she can't understand anything that is written.

"Do you have a clue now?" she asks, closing the book and resting her head on her arms. Louis frowns, opening his eyes to look at her incredulously.

"I've only read three books; do you really think I would find something as soon as I started?"

"You take too much time with each book" she complains, ignoring his tone. "Do you really need to read through every single piece of information you find?"

"I don't know in your world, but here, information does not come so easily, and it takes time when you're looking for something specific" Sachiko puffs her cheek. She wants to protest, but then thinks of the last time she had to look for something in a book and decides to close her mouth. Maybe she's just too spoiled by the internet, where she can find anything she wants to know with just a click. Still, it's been hours since they started, and apart from helping Louis search for books and carrying them to this table, she had done nothing at all. And she's bored.

She stands up. "I'll go look around."

"Where?" Louis looks at her with a raised eyebrow. Sachiko shrugs.

"This library, the palace. Actually, I think I want to look around the palace."

"Stop saying stupid things. You can't leave this place."

"Why not?"

"You will cause unnecessary trouble for me and others if you wander around."

"But I'm bored!"

"And how is that my problem?"

"Please?" she tilts her head to the side, pleading with big eyes. Louis groans, burying his face on his arms so she can't see his blushing face.

"You're annoying. Fine, get out! It's not like you're helping me here, and I'm tired of you moving around and distracting me!" he spits, turning his attention back to the book. Sachiko gasps.

"How am I distracting you? I've only been sitting here without doing anything!"

"Yes, you do! Fidget or… look at me…" he shakes his head. "Just leave if you want to. I'll stay here for a few more hours."

"Fine" she turns around, ready to leave, but Louis calls her again. "What?"

"Take this with you" he takes off his black cloak and hands it to her. Sachiko stops frowning and looks at it with confusion. "I don't want the guards suspecting you. If you wear this, you should be able to walk around without a problem."

"Oh" she grabs it and puts it on. She tries not to think of how nice it smells as she fumbles with the laces. "It's really nice of you. Thank you."

"Pfff, I'm only doing it because if the guards suspect you it will be just another headache for me. Don't think it's because I'm worried for you or anything. B-Besides, maybe this will be a reminder for you to behave… hey! I'm still talking!" he yells angrily when he sees her almost at the door.

Sachiko simply giggles. "Sorry, and don't worry, I'll behave! No way am I sullying my master's name while wearing this. See you later!" and with that she disappears, leaving a dumbfounded Louis behind.

"What's with her?! She didn't listen at all! Doing whatever she wants like…!" he complains a bit more, passing a hand through his hair. His face is burning, though he's not sure why. Shaking his head again, he grabs the book and continues reading, but it's a little difficult, now that she's away. He worries she might do something stupid.

* * *

A few people look at her strangely when she walks in the hallway. She can't see servants except for a few, blending with the scenery so well it's almost as if they're not there. Most of the people she encounters seem to be nobles. They barely look at her, their eyes stopping just a moment on the cloak, and give her a nod before going on.

 _I wonder if they think I'm a noble._ Her dress is quite simple, but it's almost completely covered by the cloak. She starts to understand why Louis said they wouldn't cause her problems if she wore this. _It's kind of exciting that they think I'm a noble even though I'm not_ ; she giggles a little, before her eyes stop at a group of boys gathered under an archway. They talk to each other and laugh, pointing at a place in front of them. They look like they're gossiping.

She looks at the place they're pointing at, and is surprised to see a woman training by herself on the ground floor. She has short blond hair, and even if Sachiko cannot see her face, she guesses it must be delicate just as her frame, unlike the slices she's delivering at a dummy of hay.

 _She's good…_ she thinks, leaning a little more on the stone railing, intrigued by this young woman. In that exact moment, the woman turns around and their eyes lock. She has light blue eyes and a small nose. Sachiko gives her a timid smile, but the woman looks away with what appears to be contempt, and finally sheaths her sword before leaving the training ground.

Sachiko is left a bit astounded by this.

"As expected of a commoner."

"She could at least have returned the lady's smile."

"That would be asking too much of someone like her."

Sachiko jumps up, hearing the boys' voices much closer than she remembered. She looks at them. They're approaching her with smiles on their faces. She involuntarily tenses.

"What is a lovely lady like you doing in this place alone?" one of them asks. They're four, dressed with rough pants and leather vests. They seem to be around her age, maybe a bit older. If not for the wands hanging from their belts, Sachiko wouldn't know they are nobles.

She looks down, feeling nervous now that they're surrounding her. "I was just walking around…"

"Are you lost?" that makes her blink with confusion.

"No…"

"Oh, then, are you looking for someone? A brother perhaps? Or maybe a boyfriend…"

"What? No! I don't have brothers… or a boyfriend. I was just exploring, waiting for… a friend" somehow saying 'my master' sounds wrong to her… and incredibly embarrassing.

The boys look at each other. "I think she's lost" one of them concludes. Sachiko puffs her cheeks with annoyance, but before she can say anything, he keeps talking. "This area belongs to the Imperial Guards, and it doesn't look like you belong to any of the corps" he explains.

Sachiko's mouth opens in a small 'o', finally understanding the reason for their questions. She feels embarrassed now. "Sorry, I didn't know."

"Oh, don't worry about that. Hey, while you're waiting for your friend, don't you want to come with us?"

"With… you?"

"Hey Domenic, you're scaring her" another guy nudges his friend, before smiling at her. "What he means to say is that we're apprentices of the Manticore Corps. If you don't have anything else to do, we will gladly show you around."

"Ah… I don't know…" she's nervous. She has never been good with guys, less when there are so many of them. They keep insisting, giving her a weird sensation. _This situation… where have I seen it before?_ It suddenly dawns on her. _Of course! It always happens in manga! The girl is surrounded by guys before her love interest comes to rescue her and…! Wait a second…_ her eyes get round with disbelief. _They… they're hitting on me… they're actually hitting on me…_ never before in her seventeen years of life had anyone ever hit on her. This was a first for her, and for that reason, instead of getting alarmed, she starts smiling, confusing the boys.

"Miss?"

"Ah, sorry" she shakes her head and looks at them with new eyes. They're not bad-looking. Definitely not Louis or Shiro, but that's a level she doesn't expect normal people to reach, including her. "If it's alright with you; then please show me around."

"Really?!" one of them asks with surprise, before the other three sent him looks of warning.

"Perfect. Then, if you would follow us" Sachiko nods and walks with them. They seem more excited than she is. They introduce themselves and look a bit confused when she tells them her name, saying it's weird. As they show her the sparring grounds, a question makes way in Sachiko's head.

"That girl earlier was also part of the Imperial Guards?"

To her surprise, the guys start laughing.

"You mean Agnes? God, no, she's just a commoner."

"She has permission from her highness to train here, and walks around the palace like she's actually one of us" the guy called Domenic says with a snort.

"How did she even get to know her highness?"

"More than that, I'm questioning why the princess even bothers with her. Having her around downgrades the value of the Imperial Guard."

"So that woman is a commoner?" Sachiko asks; mostly to stop them from badmouthing her any further, but also because she's impressed. It makes her really curious about her.

"Yes, but you don't have to worry about her."

"A noble lady should not concern herself with this kind of pesky matters."

Sachiko halts, shocked; "n-noble lady?"

"Yes" they stop, looking at her with confusion. "Is there something wrong?"

"Um…" she looks down at Louis' cloak, hugging her body. _It's because of this thing they think I'm a noble?_ She should tell them they're wrong. She should but… _maybe they only flirted with me because they think I'm a noble, and if I tell them…_

"So, Miss Sachiko, where were we?"

 _Just a little more, for my ego_. She smiles and follows them, praying to God to forgive her for this little white lie.

* * *

Closing yet another book, Louis leans back and sighs, his head tilt up looking at the ceiling. He doesn't know why he's doing this in the first place. Sure, it's to help Sachiko get back to her world and learn more about the void while he can, but the more he reads, he realizes it might as well be a futile effort.

He knows of the legends and of people who had been said to possess the void throughout history, so reading about them it's not something new or that can be useful. More than that, he wants to find something that can help him understand a little better what this power is about. What is the void exactly? How does it work? How can he confirm he has it? None of that is written in any of the books he read, and he has the rueful sensation he won't find it no matter how much he investigates.

But if something defines Louis is that he's no quitter. Even if he has to spend days confined in the archive he will find what he is looking for.

 _Though I don't really have the time to spend days researching here…_ he shakes his head and sits straight again. Just when he's reaching for another tome, he hears someone clearing their throat.

"Your highness" he stands up and bows. Henrietta purses her lips, and with a gesture of the hand dismisses his greeting.

"Louis, don't worry about it. We're the only ones here."

"If you wanted to talk, you should have called for me" he says, looking at her seriously. She shrugs and pulls out a chair, sitting on it. Louis imitates her when she tells him to. He can see she's holding a small, tattered book in her hands.

"There's no need to, honestly. Besides, I prefer looking for you myself" she looks at the books on the table. "Is your research bearing results?"

"Not really, but I'm trying…"

"I heard you came with your familiar. Where is she?"

"She was bored so I gave her permission to take a stroll outside. Henrietta… do you need something from me?" he asks politely, trying not to seem too curious. She sighs, leaving the small book on the table.

"Now that my wedding to the emperor has been announced, preparations are being done. I don't have to do much except stand to the side and give my opinion on a few things, but there's something I have to do, and I feel really troubled."

"Is it something I can help with?" she gives him a small smile.

"Unless you can turn into a girl so you can be my bridesmaid, then there's not much you can do."

"Oh…"

"I don't have anyone close enough to me that I want to give that position to, so I was wondering if you could find someone for me."

"I… I don't think I'm suitable to decide for you" he glances down, blushing involuntarily. "If it's Henrietta's bridesmaid, she should be someone of noble birth, tristainian. I'm not close enough to any girl in the academy to ask them for this."

"You think they wouldn't want to be my bridesmaid?"

"Oh, of course not!" he shakes his head and hands quickly, finding her question ridiculous. "Anybody would feel honored to become your bridesmaid, but choosing anyone just because doesn't feel right to me. She should be someone you know at least."

"That's why I think if Louis chooses I'll be fine with it. I trust anyone you think would be suitable for the position" Louis shakes his head again. Henrietta has a sudden idea. "Don't you have a cousin attending the academy with you?"

"You mean Montmorency?" she's Louis' cousin on his mother's side. He doesn't talk with her a lot though, and they never really got along well.

"Yes, her. She comes from a good family too, and being your relative would reassure me."

"I guess I could ask her…" she would certainly be elated. Henrietta sighs with relief, before handing the small book over to him. "What is this?"

"The Founder's Prayer Book" Louis' eyes open wide. He looks at it, unable to believe such a torn book could be one of the famous treasures from the Founder. "It is tradition for the bridesmaid or best man to hold the Founder's Prayer Book and write an edict for the wedding. You should give this to your cousin, so she can draw inspiration from it."

"A-Alright" he accepts the book humbly, staring at it with big eyes. To be able to hold such an item, he can't help but feel excitement.

"Well, with this done, it's time I leave you alone" she stands up. Louis looks at her with confusion. "You surely want to keep reading, I don't want to interrupt."

"Oh, sure…" he bites his lips, before glancing back at her. "Henrietta?"

"Yes?"

"If you want to talk or… anything, really, you know you can count on me, right?"

She blinks, clearly surprised. After a while, she smiles, even though there doesn't seem to be much happiness behind it. "I know. See you later" and with that, she walks away. Louis keeps looking at her retreating figure until she's out of sight. Then, he sighs, resting his head on his arms.

 _I guess I can't blame her for that reaction. I just wonder how much longer we'll be like this…_ he straightens and looks at the Founder's book. For a moment he wonders… before shaking his head and continuing with his investigation, leaving the Founder's book aside.

* * *

"Can I? I really can?" Sachiko asks enthusiastically when the boys ask her if she wants to mount one of the manticores. They chuckle, while Domenic nods reassuringly.

"Of course you can. Do you want me to help you?" she nods, looking at the beast up and down. It has the body of a lion and a human-like head. She should probably be terrified, but her curiosity wins upon her fear, and the only thing she wants is to make sure if its fur is as rough as it seems.

The manticore stirs the moment she mounts it, but it doesn't do much besides that. She caresses its head, expecting for it to purr like when she did it to Wardes' griffin. Instead, it only looks at her, and Sachiko almost feels the beast thinks her stupid.

"Is this where you usually train?" she asks, looking at the courtyard they're in. It's deserted but big enough to hold an entire troop.

"Well, it's where the knights train…"

"No one's around. Now that I think about it, where are the rest of the knights?"

"They had a mission. We were left here to take care of the few manticores left behind."

"Ah" she softly kicks the sides of the manticore, just to see if it will start moving, but again, it looks at her, this time with a bit of irritation. _Well, I should have expected this. It's not a horse, and considering the way it's looking at me, maybe I should consider myself lucky it didn't throw me off._

Seeing her actions, the boys begin instructing her how she should ride a manticore, but even when she does as they say, the beast refuses to move. _Huh, look who doesn't like me._

Maybe she should get down before the manticore gets mad at her. The boys had been nice to her, entertaining her and answering all of her questions regarding the guards and the palace. In manga, it's always depicted as a bad thing when guys try to pick you up, so she had been a little worried when she started thinking about it more deeply. Luckily, that had not been the case at all.

 _Besides, thanks to them I think I understand some things a little better_. And she didn't get as bored as she would have if she had been on her own. It was nice having other things to do. Even in the academy, most of the time she spends it alone when she isn't with Louis. Shiro is always busy working, and Kirche has classes, so it's pretty lonely whenever Louis has things to do and leaves her alone. Even Miss Longueville is always doing something, reason for which she has yet to fulfill her promise of helping her catalogue the treasures in the treasure vault.

 _Well, it's not like I'm completely alone either. I can talk with Mr. Colbert, and there's also Derflinger, even if he has such a rotten tongue…_

She looks up. It's not too late, but she should get going now and find Louis so they can go back to the academy before night falls. With the help of one of the boys, she gets down the manticore, but before she can fully put her weight on her feet, she hears someone shout.

"What do you think you're doing?!" _looks I don't have to search for him anymore_.

"Ah, Louis, I was just about to go get you…"

"Shut up" he cuts her, before his eyes fall on the boy, who is still holding her. "Take your hands off her" the boy's eyes narrow, releasing Sachiko but glaring daggers at him.

"What's your problem? I was just helping her down the manticore!"

" _Why_ were you mounting a manticore in the first place?" Louis ignores the boy and asks Sachiko. She gulps, taking a step back.

"They asked me if I wanted to…"

"And if they asked you if you wanted to jump off a building you would have said yes then?"

"Hey" this time is Domenic who interrupts him; "what do you mean by that? That is dangerous for Sachiko to mount a manticore? And anyway, who the hell are you in the first place?"

" _It is dangerous_ " he ignores the last question and snaps at him. "Why are you even allowed near the manticores to begin with? You're obviously not knights, so that means this manticore doesn't belong to any of you! To let a girl mount one when the owner is not with you…!"

"Nothing would have happened! And we might not be knights, but we're apprentices, so don't treat us so lightly!"

"Even worse! You're not even allowed to mount one yourselves and yet…!"

"What is all this ruckus about?" another voice interrupts their argument. They turn around, and the boys' faces become pale.

"C-Captain!"

The man, who should be around fifty, looks at them with a stern expression. He crosses his arms, silently demanding an answer. When no one says anything, he turns to Louis. "Young man, do you have a problem with my boys?"

"Nothing except they're letting girls mount a manticore while their captain is away" he answers bitterly, lifting his chin haughtily. The man blinks, before looking at the boys with a frown.

"Is that what really happened?" they lower their heads, making the man sigh. "Really, don't try to show off just because you want to impress a pretty girl. It can be dangerous for her."

"That's what I was saying" Louis spits, glaring at the boys. The man looks at him again, examining him.

"Sorry for the question but, do I know you? You look really familiar…"

"My name is Louis François LeBlanc de La Vallière, heir apparent of La Vallière household" he says, crossing his arms. The man looks at him with surprise, before nodding.

"I see. You have your mother's eyes. I am D'Cesaire, an old acquaintance of your mother. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine" he responds dryly, before grabbing Sachiko's hand and pulling her towards him. "Now, if you excuse us, it's getting late, and we should really get going."

"Yes, of course" D'Cesaire nods in understanding, before turning to the boys. "I need to have a stern talk with the four of you."

"Ugh…"

"See you guys later! And thank you for spending time with me!" Sachiko shouts before leaving, improving a little the mood of the boys. Louis growls angrily, yanking her harder, almost making her trip with her feet. "Hey, be a little gentler, would you?"

He halts abruptly. Sachiko bumps against his back painfully. "Ouch! Hey, what is your-?"

"What is your problem?!" Sachiko blinks, unsure if she heard right. That was just what she was going to say. Before she can utter a word, Louis continues, his voice loud and full of resentment. "I let you take a walk because you promised you wouldn't cause trouble, and yet when I find you-!"

"Wait a second! 'Let me take a walk'? What am I, a dog?" she shouts indignantly, before realizing the last part. "And what trouble are you talking about?!"

"What were you doing with those guys?" he changes subjects, further irritating Sachiko.

"Is this about the manticore? Nothing serious happened! Why are you so upset about it?"

"Apart from the fact you like to play around with a beast as if you're playing with a puppy? And you didn't answer! What were you doing with those guys?!"

"I wasn't playing! And it's not the first time I mount a magical beast! Or you forgot Tabitha's dragon or the griffin?" she pointedly ignores the last question, much to Louis' annoyance.

"It's different; you were with the owners those times! Now, would you stop ignoring me and answer already?!"

"They were showing me around" she crosses her arms and answers with a huff. "What does it have to do if I'm with the owner or not? Domenic said since the manticore is domesticated then it wouldn't attack humans…"

"Then he's obviously not meant to be a knight. You can't _domesticate_ a wild beast. Griffins, manticores and dragons are intelligent creatures! They choose who are allowed to mount them!" he's starting to lose his patience. Sachiko puffs her cheeks and looks away, but Louis holds her chin and turns her face so she has no other option but look at him. "Showing you around, what?"

"The training grounds… I got lost and ended up here, so they offered to show me the training grounds" she brushes his hand off and takes a step back, feeling she needs to put a bit of distance between them. Louis' fists balled at his sides, but he doesn't attempt to touch her again.

"So you went with them willingly? What if they had bad intentions? What would you have done?"

"What bad intentions could they have had? They're knights…"

"No, they're not" he corrects with gritted teeth. Sachiko rolls her eyes.

"Apprentices, whatever, the point is; what in the world do you think they could have done to me?"

"Why you…" he trembles, and without a word, grabs the cloak and forcefully takes it off her. Sachiko gasps at his roughness and glares at him, but Louis only scoffs in response. "I have noticed this for a while, but aren't you too easy for your own good?"

Sachiko blinks, processing his words for a few seconds. When they finally settle in, she rages. "Did you just call me easy?"

"You trust people too easily, it's dangerous, you know?" he says as if he didn't realize the implication of what he said. Sachiko blinks, not having expected that, and stares at him as he puts on his cloak again. _Could it be… maybe he was… worried?_ That thought makes something warm pool inside her chest. She suddenly sees Louis in a different light.

A little embarrassed she misinterpreted him before, she lowers her head and plays with her hands as she says; "I-I see, so you were only worried about me. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-" but she's cut short when, much to her surprise, Louis shoves her, making her fall on the ground butt first. Her mouth falls open, and she looks up at him with incredulity; "y-you… did you just… push me?"

"Don't say such ridiculous things!" he shouts, his face acquiring a bright red color. "Worried, you say? _Please_. I'm only saving myself the embarrassment of having a loose woman for a familiar!"

"Hey!" she stands up, getting flustered at his accusative tone. "That is not what you just said!"

"Yes it was!"

"No, you said it was dangerous for me! That is completely different from you fearing I'm a 'loose woman'!" she didn't hear wrong, she's sure those were his words. Louis chokes, coughing and using the moment to turn around, so she can't see his face.

"Don't give my words the meaning you want! It's dangerous because… because…!" he racks his brain for something. Sachiko scoffs.

"You can't even think of an excuse. Pathetic" hearing this makes Louis rage. He faces Sachiko again and without thinking, pinches her cheeks in the same fashion Eleonore used to do to him when he was younger. "Ough, bey, sboooot itttt!"

"I. Am. Not. Worried" he repeats slowly, stretching her cheeks as he speaks. "You going around while wearing my cloak and doing these things! Of course it's an embarrassment for the master! Thank God they didn't know our relation!"

"Bouis, enoubbb!"

"Hmph!" he finally releases her. Sachiko strokes her cheeks, whimpering a little. _He's such a brute! And I actually thought he was great for a second!_ "Let's go back now that this is cleared. I don't want to ride when it gets dark" he turns around and calmly walks away. Sachiko pouts. She's tempted to leave on her own to give him space to cool his head… but she can't ride a horse yet. Complaining to herself, she follows him, stroking her cheeks and not noticing how Louis' ears are strangely painted red, his back straighter than usual.

* * *

That night, Sachiko prepares a bath. She verifies the fire isn't too strong so as not to burn her, and once the water reaches a temperature she qualifies as perfect, looks around before taking her clothes off. Vestri Court is as empty as always, the only thing illuminating the courtyard being the light of the moons. It's close to midnight, the only time she would ever dare take a bath in the open like this. Not too late so Louis isn't sleeping yet, so she doesn't have to worry about being discreet when going back to the bedroom, but not too early to have people still prowling around.

She washes her clothes with the hot water and then hangs them to the side, before resting her head against the edge of the old kettle she's using as her ofuro.

She doesn't have anything against the public baths from the academy's staff. They're not wide and they have to take turns to bathe, first the men and then the women, it's just that, she's used to take her time to enjoy bathing. For them, there's no time to relax, they need to finish quickly so they can continue with their work. Ten minutes is the most she can stay before they hurry her to leave, and that's barely enough time to wash her body and take proper care of her hair.

That's why, when the other day she saw Shiro carrying this big old kettle with a maid to throw it away, she stopped him and asked him to give it to her. He had been confused, asking her why she would want something like this, but luckily accepted after giving him a vague answer.

"Ahhh…" she sighs happily, lazily stretching in the water. "This is life…"

"Does it feel good, partner?" Derflinger asks. He's leaning against the side of the kettle. Sachiko brought him for the company.

She nods with a small smile. "It does. This is the way a real Japanese person takes a bath" her smile disappears, and she looks at the sky with a pensive face. "A real Japanese person…"

 _Am I getting closer to getting back home?_

She moves her legs underwater. Because of the shadows, nothing below the water's level can be seen, but she sees the ripples her movements cause in the surface. She scoops some water with her hands and lets it go, repeating this process unconsciously as she thinks of her home and the last time she dipped in an ofuro.

 _It's been… one month, no? I admit I'm starting to get used to life here, but it's still pretty lonely…_

"Hey, Derf."

"What is it?"

"You said you were a legendary sword, no? That used to belong to Gandálfr…" she rests her chin on her hands, leaning on the edge of the kettle.

"Yes, I am."

"Can you tell me about the previous Gandálfr? Like, what kind of person he was, how strong he was, what he did?" she asks, her eyes shining with curiosity.

"I forgot" Derflinger responds nonchalantly. Sachiko pouts.

"Was he like me at least?"

"I told you I don't remember. And anyway, why would he even be like you? You're a really particular type of person."

"I'm not talking about physical appearance, but personality."

"I don't know. Didn't I say I forgot?"

"Ugh…" she closes her eyes and hugs her knees, half her face underwater. She's even more curious about Gandálfr since her fight with Wardes. From time to time she touches Derflinger and concentrates. She only has to remember Wardes attacking Louis to activate the runes.

 _I want to know more about this power. Next time, I won't allow anyone to lay a finger on Louis_. She closes her fists with a determined expression.

Suddenly, she hears steps near her. She sinks a little deeper in the kettle and covers her chest with her arms. "Who is it?" she asks anxiously.

"Miss Sachiko?" her eyes widen. She stretches her neck and sees Shiro a few meters away. He's holding a tray with what appears to be a small teapot and a teacup. He squints and frowns, before recognizing her. "It is you, what are you doing here?"

He approaches, Sachiko gasping and backing off, her back against the side of the kettle. "W-Wait! Shiro, don't get closer!"

"Eh?" he falters at her sudden yell, causing him to trip on a small stone, the tray, teapot and teacup flying off. Without thinking, Sachiko stands up.

"Shiro! Are you alright?"

"Ugh, yes, I think…" he lifts his face from the ground and rubs his forehead with a hand, before looking up. His eyes widen, and it's under his appreciative stare that Sachiko realizes she's standing bare-naked in front of him. She quickly dips in the water, covering her chest with her arms and screaming. Shiro blushes; "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to look! I swear!" he says, glancing away.

"I-It's fine, it's my fault, I shouldn't have…" she laughs nervously, still hugging herself. _He looked at me! He saw my naked body! No one before had ever…_

She isn't looking at Shiro, but she can hear him picking up the broken pieces of the teacup. There's an awkward silence she doesn't know if she wants to break. Unsurely, she clears her throat, immersing a little more in the water.

"Say, Shiro, what were you doing here at this hour of the night?"

"I could ask you the same question" Sachiko blinks, unable to place his tone. He sounds irritated.

"What do you mean? I'm taking a bath" her face heats up again, for some reason getting more flustered saying it out loud.

"I can see that, but I don't get it. Why are you taking a bath here, outside? Anybody could come at any second and see you."

"Oh, it's just… the staff's bathrooms are small and stuffy and they don't give us enough time to bathe, so I wanted to be more comfortable and asked you for this kettle."

"Couldn't you find a better place to do it though?"

"I don't see the problem, this place is always empty at this hour, and besides, if I did it inside it would be a problem with the fire. I don't trust myself not to set fire to the academy unintentionally."

"But people could still come. In fact, they would be attracted by the fire in this dark place. That's how I found you" Sachiko frowns, finally turning around to see him standing with his arms folded, a scowl on his face and the tray abandoned at his feet. She tilts her head to the side innocently.

"I… didn't think of that."

"You should be more careful. You're a girl after all; doing this kind of reckless things will just lead to dangerous situations for you."

"The worst that can happen is that someone sees me naked" _and that already happened_ ; she knows Shiro is thinking the same by the way his cheeks color pink. He clears his throat awkwardly.

"What if someone wants to take advantage of you? Haven't you thought of that?"

"Would somebody actually want to do that?" she can't think of anybody trying to do that inside the academy, from the staff or the students.

"You never know."

"It's alright, after all it's just me. No one would think of taking advantage of me" she laughs lightly to take off some seriousness from the situation, but this only manages to deepen Shiro's scowl.

"Don't laugh, this is serious. I mean, look at you, just knowing you're naked inside that thing makes even _me_ want to-" he closes his mouth when Sachiko's mouth falls at his words, making him realize what he was saying. "N-Never mind about that, the point is, you can't take a bath in a public place like this, got it?"

"Uh… y-yeah, got it…" again, another awkward silence envelopes them. Sachiko half expects Shiro to pick up the tray and leave, but he stays there, arms crossed and face turned to the side with an obvious blush. It's starting to make her feel anxious. "Shiro… you're staying?"

"I'll stay guard, it's not safe to leave you alone" she nods shyly, even though she feels even more nervous knowing he's there. Trying not to think too much about it, she continues bathing, from time to time glancing back at him. He has turned his back at her, so she feels a little safer speaking.

"Who were you bringing that tea to? Won't they be angry that you're taking so long?"

"Um, no, actually, the tea was for you. We got new goods from Rub' al Khali in the east and I wanted you to taste it" Sachiko blinks, looking at him.

"For me? How did you know I was here?"

"I… followed you."

"You what?!" after all his talk of how dangerous it is to take a bath outside, he was actually the first one she should have been wary of. Shiro quickly shakes his head and his hands, flustered.

"I wasn't peeping! I just saw you bringing water here, I didn't know you were taking a bath because once I made sure you were staying here I rushed to get the tea! I swear it!"

"O-Ok, I believe you" he sighs in relief. Well, it's not like she would have minded if that was the case. Although she does feel uncomfortable he has seen her naked, in hindsight, it's not really that much of a bad thing. _And he seemed to like my body. Plus, he's staying guard for me. That can only mean he cares for me, no?_

She has a bit of hope, which is the reason a dangerous idea crosses her mind. She looks down at herself, making sure nothing can be seen, and speaks up shyly. "Ehm, Shiro…"

"Yes?"

"You… fell hard before, didn't you?"

"Uh, yes" he sounds embarrassed, but Sachiko barely pays attention.

"So that means you're dirty…"

"I… guess. I mean, my uniform is, but it's not really important."

"But, won't Marteau yell at you if you go back dirty like that?"

"Yeah, he probably will."

"In that case" she takes a deep breath, willing herself to say the words; "why don't you take a bath with me? You can wash your clothes and…" but she stops talking when she hears something falling with a loud thud. She looks at Shiro, and is surprised to see him kneeling, with a hand over his heart. "Shiro, are you alright?"

"You say some pretty sly stuff, Miss Sachiko" he whispers, not attempting to stand up. Sachiko blushes. She knows that is the case, but hearing him saying it makes her feel ashamed, like she's stepping on some unknown boundary. She gulps and glances away, wishing to disappear.

"I'm sorry" she whispers pitifully. She misunderstood everything. After a while, Shiro sighs. Sachiko doesn't dare look up at him though.

"No, don't say it like that, it makes me feel like I said something mean to you" she doesn't reply. Then, she hears the sound of footsteps coming closer, and she tenses. What is Shiro doing? "You're aware I'm a guy, no?"

 _Oh, if I am not._ "Yes…"

"Then you should know you can't just ask a guy to take a bath with you like nothing, right?"

"I am, but it's different with you, that's why…"

She stops when she hears the sound of fabric whistling. With a start, she looks at Shiro, just in time to see him getting rid of the black vest of his uniform and starting to unbutton the white shirt.

She panics. "S-Shiro, what are you doing?!"

"I'm taking my clothes off so I can take a bath with you" he looks at her, her skin heating up under his intense stare. "I'm not going to pass up the opportunity if you offer it to me, but if you're having second thoughts just say it."

He continues undressing as he speaks, and by the time the last word leaves his lips his shirt is sliding off his body, revealing his well-toned chest and abs. With just one look, Sachiko decides she doesn't care anymore, and keeps looking as he takes off his pants. When he's pulling down the underwear, though, she finally looks away. She's not ready for that sight yet.

She hugs her body tightly when he enters, and closes her eyes just to make sure. For a few minutes, she hears rustling, and she can feel Shiro's knees touching her own, because the kettle is too small for two people, but after a while, the sound dies down, and the only thing she can feel is Shiro's presence so very close to her.

"Miss Sachiko" she jumps up a little, causing him to laugh nervously. "I'm already inside the kettle, and my clothes are drying, so it's a little late if you decide to kick me out."

"I-It's not that…"

"Then open your eyes."

She hates and loves that he sounds so confident, his voice not faltering once. But when she opens her eyes she sees he doesn't look as sure as he sounds, and that makes her feel a little better. She is not the only one nervous.

Of course, being nervous doesn't mean she's not enjoying the view. But her eyes keep shifting from him to the water, wanting to look at him but at the same time feeling she shouldn't. She's starting to regret inviting him. _No, you took the decision consciously, now be an adult and face it!_

"This is a curious way to take a bath" Shiro comments after a while, looking at the kettle with interest. Sachiko gulps, gathering her thoughts and nodding.

"Um, it's the way we do it in my country…"

"You said once you were not from Halkeginia. Where exactly are you from?"

"Th-the place you said, Rub' al… something…" when she talked with Louis about it, he told her to tell people she's from there in case they asked. ' _No one has really been there before, and very little is known about that place anyway. It should make for a believable lie.'_

Shiro's eyes open wide. "Rub' al Khali?! Wow, that's incredible! How did you-? Oh yeah, you were summoned… um, it's really impressive…"

While he's mumbling, Sachiko stares. Little by little she's feeling less awkward having him bathing with her. _I wonder how he would feel if I asked him if I can see him naked. I mean,_ she blushes, glancing to the side, _he already saw me. It's only fair he returns the favor. But I'm surprised at how well fit he is, though considering he does a lot of physical work here in the academy, I shouldn't be surprised. Most of all, I'm really curious…_ her eyes fall lower, to the part covered by the water below his stomach.

"Miss Sachiko" she shoots up in surprise. She's even redder, realizing the kind of thoughts she was having. _What am I? A pervert?_ Luckily, Shiro doesn't seem to have noticed the way she was ogling him. He's looking at her with a kind smile. He asked her something, and she wasn't paying attention. That makes her feel embarrassed.

"Um, yes, Shiro?"

"I was saying that it feels really nice taking a bath like this" Sachiko perks up. Forgetting her embarrassment, she nods enthusiastically.

"Yes! It's really nice!"

"What other things do you do in your country?" Sachiko blinks.

"You… want to know about my country?" she asks, incredulous. Shiro nods.

"Yes, if you would" he smiles. Sachiko does so as well, happy another person is interested in her birthplace, even if this time she has to feign it's a different one.

"Ok. Well, there are many different things. For starters, our eating habits…"

They talk for a good hour, Shiro asking questions and Sachiko happily answering them, gesturing with her hands to help with the explanations. The fire slowly diminishes, cooling the water, but it's still warm enough that they don't feel the need to get out just yet.

"Airplane?" Shiro asks with a raised eyebrow. Sachiko nods. It's a little amazing how much they've talked.

"Travelling long distances can be done much faster if you travel by airplane."

"Mmm, but how can something so big be able to fly?"

"Em, well, I don't really know the basics" she admits with a small blush; "it has to do with aerodynamics and the wings…"

"It is like that…" he looks up to the moons. Sachiko is a bit mesmerized at his elegant countenance. With small drops hanging from the tips of his hair and the light of the fire on his face and body, he looks like some kind of god. She swallows thickly. Despite their exciting conversation, it would be impossible for her to forget they're both naked, so close together. "You know, that airplane… it sounds oddly familiar…"

"What do you mean?"

"It reminds me of an object that's in my village… something my great-grandfather brought from the east. According to him, he came flying with it from a different world… ah, but hear me rambling. You probably don't care about-"

"What did you say?" she interrupts, her body springing towards him on its own accord. Shiro is taken aback. Sachiko curses in a low voice. "Sorry, it's just… your great-grandfather…?"

"Yes… he… had something similar to what you described as an airplane…" he clears his throat, staring at her speculatively. "Might you be interested in the story?"

"Ah, y-yes, I guess…" she laughs awkwardly; "I mean; it's not every day you hear someone claiming to be from a different world. Your great-grandfather was someone pretty weird, wasn't he?" she laughs shyly. Shiro frowns.

"I'm glad you find it funny" he says in a rough voice. Sachiko stops laughing, realizing he's no longer smiling. _Oh, oh, did I offend him?_ "It's late already" he says suddenly, pulling his weight up with his hands holding each side of the kettle. Sachiko gasps.

"Ah, Shiro wait, if I said something to…" but she doesn't finish, her eyes going round when he stands up and she can see… "Ahhh!" she covers her face, which burns intensely. Before she can open her eyes, she hears some rustling, and when she looks at Shiro, he's already dressed and ready to go. "Y-You're leaving?"

He doesn't look embarrassed she saw him; instead, he has a deep frown between his brows, his eyes downcast. He's angry, she realizes ruefully.

"It's past midnight already. You should get going too."

"But… about your great-grandfather…"

"Maybe I'll tell you another time" he shrugs the vest on and gives her a short nod. "I'll see you later, Miss Sachiko" and with that, he leaves before Sachiko can utter a word. After a few minutes, she groans, plunging her head in the water. _Great Sachiko! You just had to call his grandpa weird, didn't you? Ugh…_

"Hey partner, that servant is right. It's pretty late" she hears Derflinger say when she resurfaces. She pouts, hugging her knees and ignoring him. "Come on, it's not your fault he's overly sensitive."

"But…"

"He'll get over it" she sighs, conceding that point to Derf. Slowly, she stands up; looking for the towel she left next to her clothes. _In any case, I'm surprised he's the descendant of the man Mr. Colbert told me about. I need to speak to him about this the next time I see him. I need to ask Shiro too, and above all, apologize…_

"Also" Derf adds. Sachiko looks at him with the towel around her body.

"Yes?"

"Way to try to get under your skirt, that servant boy" he laughs heartily. Blushing, Sachiko rudely sheaths him. Enough she has with her own mind, she doesn't need him to add fuel to the fire.

* * *

 **A/N: The ofuro scene was soooo awkward to write. With this, the love triangle it's officially on. Sorry to anyone who doesn't like love triangles. I am not very fond of them myself, but in this case it was inevitable.**

 **I guess I don't need to say that Monmon being Louis' cousin is completely invented and not canon. It's just an idea I always played with back in the days when I started watching Zero no Tsukaima. Agnes makes a small cameo. At this moment in the series she's still a commoner, I think.**

 **Also, I'm pretty sure the manticore knight's base is in the city and not the palace, but let's pretend the Imperial Guards have their own building near the palace, being the _Imperial Guard_ and all...**


	16. Chapter 15: Jealousy

**A/N: I know, I know, but before you say anything, I swear I have a _really_ good reason for my long, long absence. It's a little long, so explanations will be at the end of the chapter. Now, if there's still anyone reading this, I hope you enjoy the chapter.**

* * *

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 15: J** **ealousy**

 **...**

In the short amount of time Sachiko has come to known Louis, she realized that, despite that pretty face of his, he has many, many flaws, enough to override any buffer his appearance may provide.

There isn't much point in thinking about that specifically. Everybody has flaws. It's just part of being human. Sachiko is well aware she is far from being perfect, but that is not the reason she's outing Louis in the first place. Saying he has a short temper and is pretty damn arrogant when he wants to be (and even when he doesn't) would just be stating the obvious. But lately, something entirely new has been brought up about his personality that she wasn't aware of.

He's one hell of a confusing person.

She knows Louis is a determined person, with set ideals and a strong sense of justice. Not someone who could be sway easily, in her opinion.

So why it looks like he's changing his mind around her a lot, lately?

Case in point: the other day, she went to collect Louis' laundry after a bath. She had decided to use the warm water left in her kettle to do this chore, thus avoiding cracking her hands with the chilling water of the fountain while washing, just to find the basket empty. When she asked Louis he simply shrugged, telling her she didn't need to wash his clothes anymore, that he'll have one of the servants do it.

It's not that she wasn't happy, but it was strange, and when she wondered aloud for his reasons, he snapped at her. Something about not wanting her near his undies. Since when did he care if she washed his underwear? She has been doing it for well over a month already, and he never showed the slightest bit of shame. She pointed this out to him, and in less than five minutes he decided to punish her 'insolence' by making her do the laundry again, then deciding against it, then deciding _in favor_ of it, and then settling by telling her to shut up.

("Does that mean I still have to do your laundry or not?" "I'm going to hit you if you keep talking.")

She didn't, and her load of work diminished once more.

Or the other day, when she was getting ready for bed and he caught sight of her in his shirt. Hell broke loose because she had the indecency of showing herself in such attire, completely forgetting _he_ suggested she used it as pajamas. Sachiko could only conclude he was angry because she wasn't careful enough while changing, but even then she didn't understand why he cared if he saw her naked or not. Isn't she just a familiar? Besides, not long ago he shamelessly undressed in front of her whenever he wanted.

Talking about that, it was quite curious that, since coming back from Albion, he had completely avoided changing when she was in the same room, and if she happened to be there, he would ask her to close her eyes or turn around. A complete change from the beginning, and Sachiko couldn't pinpoint the reason for it, being afraid to ask in case he took offense (as he always does, no matter how small the subject seems to be).

With all of this, Sachiko really doesn't know how to act around her master. Everything seems to set him off, regardless of the words she uses or how careful she tries to be with her actions. This is the reason she's in her way to the forest surrounding the academy, without telling Louis where she's going at all.

So he's busy; and even though he promised he would teach her how to use a sword he hasn't taken the time to train with her since coming back from Albion. She can understand that, because on top of his studies now he also occupies most of his time investigating for a way to get her back to her world. She's itching to wield Derflinger again but asking him to take some time off might anger him for some reason or another, considering the mood he's been in for a while, and Sachiko prefers to cut the drama and simply get things done on her own.

She has a good enough foundation to try alone now, she thinks, but she doesn't want to make a fool of herself in academy grounds, or worse, injure someone accidentally, which is why she decided training in the forest is her best option.

She passes the gates without hesitation, nodding to the two commoner guards stationed at either side of them. She only knows them by face, as there are too many servants in the academy for her to remember them all, but they obviously know her better, smiling at her and wishing her luck when she tells them she's going to practice. It's a bit strange for her that the academy has guards, considering the quantity of mages inside the building, but she supposes it must be more for the sake of appearances than for an actual feeling of safety.

Once she's deep in the forest so as not to run into anyone familiar, but not deep enough to get lost, she unsheathes Derf and starts swinging it at a tree without much thought. It's a good thing she figured how to activate the runes on her own, which makes things a lot easier.

After half an hour of hitting the same tree over and over, she steps back and looks at her handiwork. The bark is splintered in various places, with gashes deep enough to allow the dense sap to roll free down the trunk. It's not an elegant job but she wasn't aiming for gracefulness. She just has a need to move, to do _something_.

Looking at the tree again and the deep slashes she made on it, something stirs in her stomach. A not too pleasant memory she had been trying to dismiss for a time now. It's impossible to ignore as long as she can feel Derflinger's weight in her hand.

"Bored already, partner?" Derflinger's voice cuts the silence. Sachiko blinks, not having realized she was staring at the slashes on the tree without doing anything for a while. She shakes her head, her breathing starting to calm down after the initial strikes.

"I'm fine, I was just… thinking."

"About what?"

She looks down to the hand holding Derf. The runes shine beautifully in her skin, but the powerful light of the sun overhead dulls the glow a little. She shrugs. "I think I'm starting to like this. Wielding a sword, I mean."

"Is that a bad thing?" she frowns, confused at the question.

"No, why do you ask?"

"Dunno" there's a tonal shrug there in his voice; "you just look like you're remembering something bad, that's all… or maybe that's just what your thoughtful face looks like" he can't help but give a little jab. Sachiko puffs her cheeks.

"You're mean!" he laughs and she looks at the ground. It's no use pretending. Maybe she should just talk about it, and besides, she can't think of anyone better to confide in with this than Derf. After giving a sigh, she sits on top of the soft grass and rests Derflinger against the tree in front of her. She plucks a few grass leaves while thinking how to word her feelings. "Remember Albion?"

"A little difficult to forget, considering it's only been ten days."

"Yeah, well, it's about that" she doesn't continue, but Derf doesn't pressure her. She stops plucking at the grass and crosses her arms under her chest. "Back then… I almost killed a person."

"Oh" the sword doesn't elaborate, but he can see where this is going. Sachiko nods softly.

"I've never even _seen_ a sword in real-life before, and suddenly, without as much as a few days after acquiring my first one, I'm already going on a rampage to kill another human being. Regardless of the circumstances, of how I felt at the moment, I actually…" she sighs again, bringing her knees to her chest and resting her chin on top of them. "It felt like the natural thing to do, to go after his life for what he did, and I even _chopped his arm off_. Derf, I used you to _slaughter_ a person. And I would have killed him without a second thought if I didn't run out of energy. I… I was about to become a killer, a murderer…"

Despite her words, she looks more shocked than sad or horrified. She doesn't like the idea of taking another person's life, but even then, she understood that she would have done so willingly if it meant protecting Louis and herself. She was about to, after all. Still, the thought is so foreign to her. How can it be that she can think of seriously killing someone, when never before something like that had even _crossed_ her mind? She doesn't even kill ants! She just steps around them when she's taking a walk, or carefully replaces a spider back in the garden at her house when it has wandered inside before her dad can step on them or her mom scream at the top of her lungs.

Everything it's so bizarre. She doesn't like it. It makes her feel farther away from home.

"I don't want to kill anybody" she whispers at the end, hugging her knees closer to her body.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to" Derflinger replies in a soft, but matter-of-factly voice. Sachiko shakes her head.

"What if I don't have a choice? In Albion, if I didn't do what I did, Wardes would have killed Louis and me. Even if I didn't have to _kill him_ , the fact remains that I had to do something drastic in order to stop him. If it's between killing and getting killed, how can I stop myself from doing something I don't want to do?"

"Easy, you just _don't do it_. Nobody can make you do something you don't want to do, partner."

"What if I don't have a choice?" she repeats, almost unconsciously.

"You always have a choice."

His tone is soothing despite the subject. Sachiko isn't satisfied with the answer. But she doesn't feel like discussing anymore. She prefers not to think about it, because if she does, she will just get her head into a bigger mess. Talking about the possibility of taking a life sickens her. It's not something that should be discussed, ever. At least she thinks so. But there's no denying the facts, or even the chance of something similar happening again. When the time comes, and she knows it will, would she do it? Would she really be able to kill someone?

She hopes to never learn the answer.

She has a feeling it's a futile hope.

* * *

Montmorency doesn't squeal, but the way her voice shrills and bounces off the walls gives the feeling as if she has. Louis winces and resists the temptation of covering his ears with his hands. He does his best to keep his expression impassive. He knows he's probably not doing a good work but Montmorency is so excited she either doesn't notice or ignores it.

"Do you really mean it? Her highness has requested _me_ to be her bridesmaid?" the high-pitch in her voice is starting to get on his nerves. He's happy he decided to approach her in an empty hallway; he doesn't want to think of all the attention she would have gathered with her inconspicuous enthusiasm.

He rolls his eyes. "I didn't say that. She didn't request _you_ specifically. She just needs someone to fill the role, and since you're my cousin…"

"Who cares?" she interrupts, bouncing a little on the balls of her feet. "I'm going to be her highness' bridesmaid! I will attend her highness' wedding! I'm so happy we're related!"

" _Now_ you're happy" Louis murmurs under his breath with a bit of bitterness. He sighs. "However, you have certain responsibilities as her highness' bridesmaid. Don't forget you need to write an edict for the wedding. That's why I gave you the Founder's Prayer Book" he feels something prickling at his chest at seeing Montmorency hugging the book to her chest as if it were a teddy bear. He didn't want to give it to her, but he didn't have a choice. It was tradition, after all. "Be careful with that. Don't leave it anywhere and don't write on it."

At this, Montmorency looks offended. "Of course I won't! Who do you think I am?"

"Once you've finished with the edict, give it back to me immediately, ok?" Montmorency puffs her cheeks at being ignored. She raises her chin and looks down on him, something easy to do, since she's taller than him, albeit for only two centimeters.

"Why? You're not the bridesmaid."

"Just do it! I'll give it to you again during the wedding, but for once in your life; do me this little favor, alright?" Louis answers irritably. Montmorency narrows her eyes.

"Why do you want the book so badly?" she suddenly gasps, her cheeks getting red from anger. "You think I'm going to damage it? Now listen here, I won't-!"

"It's not that!" he grunts as he passes a hand through his hair, messing up the carefully arranged tresses. Montmorency can only take a step back, hugging the book tighter to her chest. "My reasons don't matter, but if you want to know _so_ badly, it's simply because I need it for something as well. And _no_ , I won't tell you what that something is" he adds when he sees she's going to open her mouth to ask. She purses her lips, but after a few minutes of thought, she finally sighs.

"Alright, I'll give it back when I finish the edict, _but_ you need to give it to me again at the wedding _and_ give me your opinion of what I write. Is that fine with you?" she asks with a bit of a derisively tone. Louis growls in annoyance.

" _Fine_ , suit yourself" Montmorency smiles before turning around and disappearing behind a corner. Louis shakes his head and turns in the other direction. There's still a month until Henrietta's wedding, and the news of Albion's change of government has already reach every ear in the continent. The Holy Republic of Albion, they call themselves now, and Oliver Cromwell is their leader. Louis feels sick just hearing his name.

 _Could it really be? Is Cromwell really a void user like… like me?_ For him is still difficult to accept the existence of the void at all, but so many people seem absolutely convinced of it. If it's really true, then what was Wardes trying to achieve by killing him? Wouldn't the entire purpose of Reconquista be null if they didn't have the four void users? And who else could have this power?

Everything is way too bigger than what he feels prepared to face. He's not even sure of his own role in the design of things, but if Wardes and the Headmaster are right, then, in future events he will be a key participant at a global scale.

In the meantime, Albion has stopped their ambitions of conquest. To the general public, the rebellion was always just an internal fight that had nothing to do with the rest of Halkeginia, but there are always fear and uncertainty of war coming too close to home; which is the reason one of the first things Albion did was enact a non-aggression pact with Tristain; to show their 'good faith and desire to freely collaborate with a sister country'. Nothing but a big load of crap. Louis knows just as well as Henrietta and every important politician in the palace that Albion is still waiting for a chance to attack Tristain and prevent their alliance with Germania. But it was in their best interests to accept the pact given by Albion, not only to appease the people but to give enough time to hold the wedding and solidify the alliance.

It's a peace filled with tension, and he knows even those who aren't aware of Reconquista's real intentions can feel that things are falling on top of each other, just waiting until the teeter gives way to the inevitable fall.

He wonders just how much longer they will have to wait.

* * *

After finishing with her 'training' and saving her depressing thoughts about life and death for another moment, Sachiko arrives at Louis' room to start with her cleaning. Since she doesn't need to do Louis' laundry anymore, her load of work has been reduced dramatically, leaving her with almost nothing to do. Two times a week, she has to clean the room, which includes swiping with a broom, wiping the furniture and windows and changing the sheets of the bed.

The room is always sparkling clean because of this. But it's horribly boring because other than this and training there's nothing else to do. And has she mentioned she's always bored? It's a little ironic, she thinks, that even though she's living what would constitute fantasy novel material, she still finds her life to be as dull and pathetic as her one in Japan.

Although, when she remembers her time in Albion, she doesn't know if she should be happy she's bored or not. Because nothing is happening, things are alright, but if that changes, it means _something bad_ is going on, and maybe she's fine with things staying as boring as they are.

She thinks of this as she wipes the bookshelf. When she finishes, she takes out a book in an action that reminisces one she did a few weeks back. She flips it open and stares. In that moment, she wanted to learn how to read so she could find a way back to her world, but now that Louis is doing that for her, she wonders if it's really necessary after all. She doesn't plan to stay long in this world, so why should she bother to learn something she will never use again in her life?

"Partner, do you know how to read?" Derflinger asks from his place next to the open window, after seeing her display. Sachiko shakes her head.

"No, I mean, yes, I do know, it's just… here I can't. It's like a different language. Well, it _is_ a different language. When I try to look at it it's just too difficult to comprehend…"

Derflinger thinks about it for a second, before replying: "and how can you talk with others, if we don't speak in the same tongue?"

She purses her lips, thinking. It embarrasses her a little that the thought never crossed her mind until Derflinger asked. "It's like… how should I say it? It's like the words are magically translated inside my head. I guess the effect is similar in all the people who hear me talk, too" she sighs as she puts the book back in the bookshelf, "though it doesn't seem to work when I try to read…"

"Mm, interesting, so you're hearing me speak in a different language… that sure is amazing! Well partner, why don't you simply try it?" he asks in a nonchalant tone. Sachiko raises an eyebrow.

"I just told you that–"

"No, what I mean is that, like you can speak fluently with us as if things are being translated inside your head, maybe it will work similarly when you read" he says in an excited tone. Sachiko thinks about it for a second, before her face brightens.

"You might be right" she hastily takes another book from the shelf, opens it, and stares intently at the characters. After some minutes without any of them uttering a word, she calmly shuts the book and puts it back.

"Didn't work partner?" Derflinger asks blankly.

"Nope."

"Hmph, I see. Ok, then, if you want to read, why don't you ask somebody to teach you? That noble boy seems to have mellowed out to you lately, he'll probably accept if you do it nicely."

"I already asked, but he's too 'busy' to teach me" she snorts as she crosses her arms. "Besides, I don't think I really need to learn how to read anymore. I mean, I'm not going to stay here long, so…" she shrugs it off. Derflinger scoffs.

"That kind of attitude it's pretty mediocre from you, don't you think?"

"Mediocre? Why is that? Simply because I don't find the necessity to learn how to read…"

"Exactly. You never know when it might come in handy. Just because you don't need it know doesn't mean it won't be useful in the future."

Just as he's saying that, someone knocks on the door. Sachiko blinks, not having expected anybody. She knows it cannot be Louis, as this is his room. She actually hasn't seen him since morning after breakfast. And she can't think of anybody who would want to talk to him willingly, as bad as that sounds. Because even if, like Derf said, he has been 'mellowing out' he can still be such a douche not even Kirche wants to be around him sometimes.

Knowing she's going nowhere pondering, she opens the door only to stop in her tracks as soon as her eyes meet deep blue.

"Hey" Shiro says with a sheepish smile. In his hands he's holding a tray full of sweets.

Sachiko only stares at him blankly.

"Can I come in?"

* * *

She sits shyly at the round table on the side of the room, her hands clutched above her knees as she looks anywhere but at the man next to her. He serves her a cup of tea and leaves it in front of her, before resting his elbows on the table and staring at her.

"Miss Sachiko" he calls. She jumps slightly and he sighs. "I'm sorry."

This takes her by surprise. Blinking, she looks at him. "Why are you sorry? I should be the one that…" she closes her mouth, suddenly feeling embarrassed at remembering that night and what the two of them did. Shiro sighs again, and with one of his hands supports his chin as he looks at her with an almost bored expression.

"I exaggerated the other night, when we talked about my great-grandfather. I know it's not much of a reason but…" he bites his lip, turning his eyes towards the table. "You see, from all of his great-grandchildren, I'm really the only one who was old enough to get to know him at all. I was eight when he passed away, so my memories of him are less of a dream and more real than for my youngest siblings."

"Oh" she gathers enough courage to raise her head and look at his face. He's not looking at her, and she's glad for that, because she can admire his features more freely this way.

"Although it was never bad-intentioned, because of his story of coming from another world, people in my village always thought of him as weird. He was very loved and trusted, but it always made me mad seeing how people would laugh at him whenever he wanted to tell his story, because I could see in his eyes that for him it was important and not the laughing matter everyone made it up to be. Even my father tended to make fun of him, and he was his grandson."

"So the reason you were angry when I called him weird…"

"It reminded me of how sad he would become every time the other villagers would laugh at him" he explained. Sachiko nods, understanding. She can relate to him, as it would have also made her angry if somebody made fun of her grandmother.

"I'm sorry Shiro, I shouldn't have called your grandpa weird" she bows her head slightly. Shiro immediately dismisses her apology with a wave of the hand.

"Please, don't worry about that. I already told you I was exaggerating."

"But really, it's not nice making fun of somebody like that. It must have been tough on your family that everybody would laugh at your grandpa."

"Um, truthfully, it's not as bad as it sounds. My great-grandfather was really loved and respected whenever he wasn't talking about coming from a different world. It was just at those moments when people called him weird, but like I said, it wasn't bad-intentioned. To be honest, after a time he just wouldn't talk about that at all, unless I asked him to tell me stories of his youth" he blushes slightly, scratching his cheek sheepishly. "I never really believed him, but it was nice hearing him talk when I was a child. Uhhh, now that I think about it, maybe I was a little responsible for keeping him talking…"

Sachiko chuckles. She's glad Shiro is no longer angry with her. She has wanted to apologize ever since that night, but the memory of their bath together plus her own shyness prevented her from approaching him. So it's a good thing he took the first step. She decides to ask about his great-grandfather in another moment though. She doesn't want to walk onto another landmine accidentally. Instead, she looks at the table and the sweets he brought with him.

"So what is the occasion?" she asks, gently pointing at the sweets. Shiro smiles.

"As an apology for leaving so suddenly the other night" he explains, and Sachiko blushes, again. If he talks so freely about that night she doesn't think she will be able to look at him in the eyes. She still can't explain to herself where in the world she got the courage to invite him to _take a bath with her_. "I remember you said you like blueberry, right?"

"O-Oh, yes, I like it…" she carefully grabs what looks like a muffin and chomps on it. As soon as the food reaches her taste buds, her eyes open wide. "This is delicious!" she exclaims, taking just a few more seconds to eat the muffin completely. Shiro chuckles, pushing the plate closer to her.

"I'm glad you like them. I baked them myself."

"Eh?!" Sachiko stops her hand midway to another muffin to stare at him wide-eyed. He shrugs.

"Cooking is one of my jobs here in the academy" he says simply as way of explanation.

"Oh."

"Drink the tea too" he nods towards the cup. "It's the one I wanted you to try the other night."

"O-Okay…" can't he stop mentioning that night?! A little flustered, she grabs the cup and takes a sip. Again, her eyes pop open. "Green tea?!"

"So you recognized it" Shiro looks pleased. Sachiko gives him a confused look. "It's tea from Rub' al Khali. I thought you would want to taste something from your hometown. Although honestly, I didn't know you came from there until you told me that night."

"Ah, r-right" she chuckles awkwardly. She almost forgot she lied to Shiro about her birthplace. She looks at the cup again with a pensive face. _I can't believe it really tastes the same…_

"You haven't come to the kitchen lately…" Shiro talks again after a few seconds of silence. Sachiko blinks, looking at him. "I was getting worried… as everyone else, of course!" he adds the last part fast, laughing nervously. This makes Sachiko blush and play with her hands.

"Oh, yeah, about that… you see, Louis has been a lot nicer lately, and now he lets me eat at the table, that's why I haven't been around the kitchen much" she explains bashfully. "B-but! I promise I'll go sometime this week, I'm really missing all of you guys!"

"I see. I hadn't notice since I've been serving the teachers' table lately. It's good that you're finally receiving what you deserve" he says. Sachiko's blush becomes deeper. It's true she might have complained once or twice about Louis' treatment of her to him. Or more than twice. Almost like every night…

"Um, aren't you going to eat?" she asks to fill the silence. His presence is starting to make her nervous, more than anything because of the way he's looking at her. Almost with… tenderness.

"I already ate, and I made this for you."

"I don't think I could eat all of this" actually, she could very likely finish it all and ask for seconds, but she's more conscious of herself when he's around. And he keeps looking at her like that…

"Well, in that case I'll have one" she almost whimpers when she sees one of her precious muffins being stolen, but she bites her lips to keep herself shut. After all, she told him to take one. It's her fault; "by the way, Miss Sachiko."

"Yes?"

"Because of the princess' wedding us, servants, get to get a little vacation from work."

"Really?" is it that big of a celebration to make it a holiday?

"Yeah, you know I come from a little village named Tarbes, right?" Sachiko nods. She remembers he told her a few weeks ago. "It's been a while since I saw my family, so I'm very excited about this."

"That's nice to hear" she says sincerely, even if her eyes get a little duller when thinking of her own family. Shiro nods, not noticing the change in her eyes as he's looking to the side.

"You seemed interested in my great-grandfather's story, right?" at this the girl blinks again. He's changing subjects way too quickly. Weren't they talking about him visiting his family?

"Oh, well, about that… Shiro, you don't need to tell me anything if you don't feel comfortable…" she would _love_ to hear what he has to say, especially if that man comes from her world like she suspects, but she still feels like the topic could very easily become too sensitive, and she has never been good with sensitive situations.

Shiro smiles as if to reassure her. "I want to tell you about him, actually. Not many people are interested in him once they learn he claimed to come from a different world, but you're different" only because of personal interest, she thinks dryly, but doesn't say it out loud; "what I was trying to say is… if you want, maybe you could come with me?"

"…" it takes her a while to catch up with his train of thought, but once she does, she almost falls from her chair; "huh?!"

"I-I'll like to show it to you, my great-grandfather's 'airplane' I mean. And there's also this gorgeous, wide field near my village I'm sure you'd love, full of flowers… You can take a little vacation from being a familiar too, I think. I'm sure my family would like to meet you. I…" he bites his tongue before he can keep talking. He's blushing almost as much as Sachiko, who can only look at him with her mouth open, unable to utter a single word. "S-So, what do you think?" he asks before the silence can become suffocating.

Sachiko is stunned. She has had the hunch that maybe, just _maybe_ , Shiro's feelings for her were the same as those she had for him, but she always dismissed the signals as her mind playing tricks on her. The thought of being reciprocated is foreign to her. She has liked boys before, nothing too serious of course, but never once have her feelings been returned. Until now, if she dares take his words as confirmation of her suspicions.

But one can never be too sure.

"Ehm, Shiro, when you say you want me to meet your family…" she doesn't want the conversation to turn awkward, although it surely feels like that already. Shiro looks at her again, and her breath catches in her throat at having his eyes on her.

"If you feel uncomfortable, you don't have to…"

"N-No! I-It's not that!" she stands up unconsciously, her chair dragging on the wooden floor. Her right hand raises and she moves it from side to side quickly. "I-I'll love to, b-but I have to ask Louis first. I-I don't know if he'll let me, but I _do_ want to go and…" what the heck is she doing? Her mind is not working right anymore. The only thing she's conscious of is that there's this guy, this gorgeous, kind, mature guy who she kinda likes, asking her if she would like to meet his family, and there's no way she can say no to that!

Shiro chuckles at her answer, and slowly traps her raised hand in his own, halting all of Sachiko's thought processes. He smiles at her and Sachiko feels about to pass out with all the blood rushing to her head. "That's wonderful. I'm sure Mr. Vallière will let you go. It's just for a little while and you did say he has been treating you better."

"U-Um…" she can't form a coherent thought less of all words. So she limits herself to nod. Shiro's smile dwindles a bit, but he quickly replaces it with a more subtle one, the slightest elevation in the corners of his mouth. He stands up too and gently pulls her closer to him.

"Miss Sachiko… I…" he gulps. Sachiko suddenly feels like the world is spinning around her without control, so she tries to take a step back, but his hold is firm. He doesn't let her get away. "I… there's something I would like to try, with your permission…"

She doesn't say anything because she can't. She must look so stupid, only looking at him with wide eyes and her mouth slightly open. Slowly, Shiro takes her chin between his fingers and waits. She's still like a statue, but she doesn't push him away. For her an eternity passes until finally, he presses his lips to hers.

The touch is superficial, but it's enough to set her blood to boiling. She has long ago decided that stolen kiss during the summoning ritual didn't count; so for all intents and purposes, this is her real first kiss. They stay like that for a few seconds, and it's only when Shiro starts to move away that she reacts. She presses her mouth a little more firmly against his and does a very pathetic attempt at reciprocating. Her arms go around his neck, and he circles her waist, dragging her closer until their chests touch.

 _This… feels so good…_ if kissing is always like this, then she doesn't want to do anything else for the rest of her life. She's unsure and slow but Shiro doesn't seem to mind. She pushes her chest more firmly against his, stands on her tiptoes searching for a little more of contact, and…

The door opens.

They pull away from each other as if lightning hit them.

Louis is standing there, his eyes wide and mouth agape. He's obviously at a loss of words for what he has just seen. After a few moments, the initial surprise slowly becomes incredulity, and from there it transforms into anger. Sachiko can easily see the process displaying on his face.

"What is the meaning of this?" he asks, trying to look calm, but the trembling of his shoulders and his closed fists betray his inner rage. Sachiko gulps; for some reason feeling extremely guilty.

"L-Louis, you see…"

"Two servants, d-d-d-doing th-th-t-this k-k-kind of thing on a noble's room… unforgivable!" he shouts, closing the door behind him with a slam and taking a step inside. Sachiko squeaks and goes to hide behind Shiro, who's only standing there, staring at Louis with an open mouth.

"Mr. Vallière, we really-"

"Shut up!" he snaps, leaving Shiro stunned into silence. Louis looks at Sachiko again, his eyes narrowing, seeing how she clings to the other man's shoulders with trembling fingers. He snorts derisively. "Bu what else should I have expected from a low-born like you? It's not like you have the less modicum of decorum in the first place. Of course you won't see the problem inviting another man into-!"

"Mr. Vallière, Miss Sachiko didn't invite me, I came on my own!" Shiro interrupts before the other boy can keep on insulting Sachiko. He doesn't like his tone, and even though he understands the reason he's angry, he can't let him push the blame on Sachiko for something he did.

Louis' eyes snap towards him and Shiro feels the need to shrink on himself. He's not a coward and he likes to think he's relatively calm and down-to-earth, but there's something on the younger boy's posture that makes him swallow and wish he never opened his mouth.

Louis laughs dryly. "So it was your idea. Tell me, servant, do you think this is something a man of your low status can do without consequences? Do you think you're in any position to speak or defend my familiar at all?"

"I…"

"If you understand that, then you know the best you can do for yourself is leave me and my familiar alone, before I decide to take action and have you fired from this academy, you filthy piece of-!"

"Hey!" this time it is Sachiko who interrupts, walking around Shiro to position herself in front of Louis, her hands balled at her sides and her eyes narrowed. She's trembling, because Louis is scary as hell, but she'd be dammed if she lets him speak badly of Shiro like that. "What is your problem? We were just eating and talking normally! Why do you have to be such a jerk and start insulting us out of nowhere?"

"Out of nowhere?" Louis opens his eyes with incredulity, before scoffing and taking another step forward, getting closer to her. His presence overwhelms her, but she keeps her ground with enormous force of will. "First of all, I'm not insulting if I'm only telling the truth! Second, you weren't just 'eating and talking normally', that's not what I saw when I opened the door two minutes ago!"

"What, you're angry because we were kissing? Don't be such a prude! We weren't doing anything bad!"

"In my room! How dare you defile my room like this?!"

"That still doesn't give you the right to insult us!"

"Can't you listen for a second?! You can't simply go kissing people in another person's room! What else have you been doing behind my back, hah?! Acting like a bitch in heat, and yet you dare act like you're insulted-!"

"Don't you dare keep talking!" Sachiko yells, her face getting as red as his, not because of embarrassment, but anger. "Seriously, you're just jealous because no one in their right mind would want to kiss you, right? Poor Kirche, having to go out of her way not to make you feel isolated!"

A snap is suddenly heard. The sound came from Louis, whose face is covered by his bangs as he looks to the ground. His shaking it's getting worse by the second, but suddenly he stops. Without saying anything, he walks up to Sachiko, grabs her wrist, and drags her to the door.

He unceremoniously throws her out.

"Don't ever come back! You're fired, useless piece of trash!" and slams the door on her face.

Two seconds later, Shiro and Derflinger follow, threw out just as rudely.

The door closes with a click.

Silence.

"Did he just say… he 'fired' me?"

* * *

 **A/N: So, where to start? Well, last year, in the last days of September, I had a car accident. A _very_ bad car accident. I'm not going to get into details, but just by telling you I was in the hospital until after New Year I think you can get an idea of how serious I was injured. I almost lost usage of my dominant arm (which happens to be the left arm) and... well, the will to live, in all honestly. But I'm better now, I had the time to recover and get out of my depression, although the time in the hospital prevented me from going to university and working, and I still need to recover completely as well as getting updated in everything I missed in these past months. I start working again on Tuesday, which is a relief to me, and I could finally finished this chapter I had half finished for months today. But I don't know if I'll be able to keep updating regularly like in the beginning, though you can be sure I won't take as much as this time, that I promise! (Unless I get into another accident, which I really hope never happens again, ugh...)**

 **Now, going back to happier things, what do you think of the chapter? I actually had fun writing the last scene. I think I have a better time writing people verbally fighting (says something about my personality? Haha... forget it...) than any other types of scenes. And someone is probably going to complain about Louis, but this time I can relate to him a little. Not for the jealousy, but because I find it disrespectful when someone does that kind of thing in your room (I'm talking from experience here, shudders...)**

 **Anyway, I think this is all for now. Thank you to all of you who sent me PMs! I didn't have the time to read them all, and I probably won't be answering either for lack of time, but I'm glad you got worried about me. Let's hope the next update doesn't take too long!**


	17. Chapter 16: The Two Sides

**A/N: Ok, so here it's the new chapter. I really wanted to bring it before April was over, but I couldn't finish it until a few days ago. Then, I wanted to update on May 3rd because it would be one year since I published the story, but there was a massive blackout in my part of the city and... anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter. I think this is the longest yet.**

* * *

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 16: The Two Sides**

 **...**

"Sit _right_ here!" Montmorency says with a tilt to her voice as she bounces on her feet, clearly excited. Her hand is grasping Louis' upper arm firmly, and she shoves him right onto a chair before turning around and flipping her hair. Louis complains softly at the treatment, but his protests go unheard. Montmorency is already reaching for a roll of parchment and the Founder's Prayer Book. She sits in front of him and crosses her legs, balancing the book in her lap while holding the parchment high, close to her face so she can read it.

She clears her throat.

"So, I'm already finished, and as you promised you would, you will give me your opinion of my edict. Try to be impartial and most of all, if there's something you don't like, don't be so mean about it" the last part is said as she looks pointedly at him, but there's a layer of plead underneath it. She worked really hard to have the perfect edict for her role as the princess' bridesmaid. She can accept a critic, but if Louis hates what she wrote and tells her so, she's just going to break down and cry, and she doesn't want to do that.

Louis sighs, folding his arms and crossing a leg over the other, his posture relaxing on the chair, understanding what she means with that subtle order. He nods his head and gestures for her to start. Montmorency does so immediately.

"In this beautiful day, I, Montmorency Margarita La Fère de Montmorency; praying for the holy presence of the Founder…" she starts, and just like that, Louis completely stops listening to what she's reading, partly because he knows she's good at these artistic things, and being the princess' wedding she would have put double effort in making everything as flawless as possible, but mostly because he has other, more urgent, things to think about. Namely Sachiko. And that servant.

Today it's the third day since he caught them kissing in his room. Every time the image comes up in his mind's eye he feels the inevitable urge to rip something apart. That servant's face being the one that pops up the most.

What was he thinking, giving her such liberties? Obviously that dimwitted girl had grown too complacent with him, not even caring to show basic respect and just doing as she pleases whenever she pleases. Though honestly, it's not like he should have expected more from her. He doesn't even know with certainty where she comes from. For all he knows she's just making it all up, that thing about coming from a different world. Really, how could he believe such a ridiculous thing? Why is he even trying to help her in the first place? Why is he trying his best to make her feel comfortable when she so obviously doesn't care about his comfort in the first place?

 _It's because you have a crush on her._ He bites his lips and his eyes narrow in displeasure. A crush? Maybe he was being too hasty by drawing that conclusion. He admits, albeit a bit reluctantly, that Sachiko is an interesting girl. She's nothing like anyone he has ever known. Too outspoken and determined to be a commoner, but too shy and humble to be a noble. Her demeanor is, by far, one of the things that intrigue him the most. Sometimes she behaves like a small animal, observing everything with big eyes and a question always popping out of her mouth, others she's too taciturn and looks like she would rather just stay quiet and in her thoughts. He can understand that type of mood, even though coming from her it looks more like detachment than an actual need to be alone.

It's difficult to guess what's going on in her mind, what she thinks of her situation or of other people. What she thinks of him. He's probably been confusing her a lot in these past days, but that's because he, himself, is very confused too. He has heard about romance and love his entire live. Being, for the most part, raised by only women has resulted in him having a bit of a romantic streak and idealistic view of love. Despite this, he has never been really in love with anyone in his life. He could hear about the butterflies flying in your stomach or your cheeks getting hot because of that one person, but he could never imagine it and he was not willing to confuse his feelings for Henrietta, or Kirche, or Montmorency, or anyone really, only because of the desire to experiment that feeling on his own. That's why, when he thinks of Sachiko, he can't help but question if he was doing that unconsciously, confusing curious interest for something else.

After all, isn't she in the perfect position for his mind and heart to wander? Someone new, who behaved nothing like what he's used to from other girls, someone that inevitably couldn't treat him based on prejudices because she knew nothing of him, starting from a fresh page; someone that would have to get to know him to form an opinion of him, and that, despite barely being in contact with each other, saved his life and defended his pride without him having to ask for it.

Maybe it was because of that. He was vulnerable after Wardes' betrayal, and she was there, the new, _interesting_ girl that defended him and saved his life. What else could there be to this sudden attraction other than the novelty of someone that was in the right place at the right moment? He's just letting himself get swapped by the emotion of one moment, by the kindness of a girl that's by all means a stranger, even despite the bond they share. Maybe he just wants to experiment this feeling, if by a fleeting second, and she's the perfect candidate, nothing more.

Regardless of all of this, there _is_ something to be felt there, when he's in Sachiko's presence. If it is a crush or not, he does not know, it's still the first time he's ever experimented something like this, so he doesn't know how to behave. Being nice with her it's one of the things that come first to mind whenever they are together. He wants to make her feel safe. But in the next second he gets tangled in his own emotions and he can't be honest with her. There is something to be said about his rough upbringing, first by his mother and then by Eleonore, and if he learned anything out of it is that being completely honest about how you feel will only result in pain. Wind and whip styled pain.

It doesn't help that he doesn't have a lot of patience, but he tries. It's just, when he tells her she doesn't have to do his laundry or that he doesn't want her looking at him when he changes, why can't she get it at once? It's not so difficult to understand. It's a small thing he thinks he owns her and instead of accepting it she questions him, and he can't tell her his reasons because he'd be exposing himself and that's something he's not willing to let happen.

In any case, Louis is now sure he's the only one with the hellish internal struggle. She doesn't even get ashamed to change in front of him! Darn it, why did he have to give her his shirt? It's difficult to look at her with a straight face especially because it's not like the flimsy material covers everything. And although Louis is not a person of many (if any) sexual urges, he's not made of stone either.

She surely doesn't know what to make of him at this point. He can't judge her. He wishes he could be more consistent too. Maybe it's because of this reason she decided to kiss that servant?

Thinking about that again, Louis closes his hands in tight fists and quietly takes a big inhale of air to calm him down. Yeah sure, she kissed him because she probably likes him. He has seen the two of them together before, and it had bothered him, but never to this extent. And not only did they kiss; they were in his bedroom too. Did they think they wouldn't get caught? Or they chose it on purpose? That last question makes Louis almost unable to keep his anger down.

It's this point what really confuses him. Is he angry because they kissed in his bedroom like two horny teenagers (which Sachiko is, he isn't so sure about the servant) trying to get high by being in someone else's room, or that they kissed at all? Would he be as angry if he caught them somewhere else? Is this because of his supposed crush on Sachiko, or is there more to it?

He doesn't know, and it irritates him to no end. It makes him feel insecure and worthless, and he hates that feeling. He's too used to feeling this way, but not with Sachiko. Somehow, she was always the only person that genuinely made him feel at ease, if only because, unlike everyone else, she didn't have the basics to degrade him like most. And that was broken that day. It's because of that he's angry. It's because of that he can't bring himself to seek her out, or talk to her despite the fact she tried to do just that a few times in the past days.

Maybe Wardes was right after all, and he's no more than a foolish child.

"Hey, you're not listening to me!" Monmon's voice shrills in the small room, banging against Louis' skull with a vengeance. He winces, before slowly looking up at her, with her arms crossed and her lips pursed in barely contained anger.

He can't bring himself to care though. "Of course I did. It was a wonderful speech. If you're finished, can you give me the book back?"

Montmorency's hair billows out, a dark aura surrounding her that doesn't even manage to scratch Louis' stoic expression. She stands up, leaves her stuff on top of the round table of her room, and marches up to Louis.

"You promised you would listen! I bet you don't even know what it was about!"

"I do, you were congratulating the princess in her new marriage and…"

"You're playing it safe! Of course I'm congratulating the princess, you retard!" she has him by the neck of the shirt now, shaking him roughly while Louis frowns, one of his hands going up and positioning on top of hers to stop her.

Time to sweet her up. Good thing he has years of practice with about every female in his life.

"I know you're a very talented person Montmorency, whatever it is you're coming with for the princess' wedding can't be anything less than perfect. Your respect and admiration for her it's something that can be seen radiating from your eyes, and as long as there's that light shining on your very own person, I know your speech will be something worth hearing for the first time in the act itself. I don't want to spoil myself before time."

Montmorency stops shaking him, looking at him with wide, sparkling eyes and rosy cheeks. She smiles coyly, her gaze falling down to the ground.

"You always know the right thing to say…" she concedes in a fluttery, soft voice. "Unfortunately for you…" her attitude changes drastically, her visage becoming darker. She lifts Louis from his seat and roughly drags him to her door, opening it with a powerful kick and swiftly throwing him out in a display of strength you wouldn't guess someone as lithe as her has. "Guiche has already made immune to all kinds of buttering. If you want the book, come back when you're ready to listen!"

And she closes the door with enough force to have the windows in the hallway vibrating a long time after the fact.

"Damn it Guiche, way to ruin everything."

* * *

Sachiko watches as Mr. Colbert stirs a small tube with some shiny gold liquid in it. She's resting her chin on her hands, softly kicking her legs back and forth from her position on the table. The man made a small space among all the parchments, books and mysterious equipment just so she could have a decent place to rest. She's grateful for that, but she's also… bored.

This is the third day since Louis 'fired' her. The first one, she tried to be reasonable and gently knock on his door, calmly asking him to let her enter so they could resolve the problem like adults. She's still not sure if that grotesque snarl she heard was indeed produced by some type of dangerous animal or it was only coming from Louis. When that didn't work, she threatened him with sleeping outside his door until he opened, and what a scandal would that be, finding a sleeping girl at his doorstep. Not that she knew a lot about scandals, but something like that ought to be one, right?

He ignored her, so she waited.

And waited.

And waited…

Well, even if he didn't care for a scandal, he _would_ have to leave his room sometime to eat or go to the bathroom or something, right?

She waited seven hours, astonished someone could be trapped in one room for so long without some kind of relapse. She would become restless by being in a single place for only _one_ hour, which she kind of was, standing alone in the hallway, without doing anything except quietly exchanging bad jokes with Derflinger. It didn't occur to her that he has plenty of books and other fun stuff to do in his room while she had nothing, which tilted things against her.

Close to midnight she couldn't take it any longer and she banged on his door loud enough to raise the dead. She was warmly responded by absolute nothing. Becoming impatient, she grabbed Derflinger, channeled eight and a half hours of pure frustration and kicked the door open.

She found the room empty, the bed sheets properly made, and her mattress somehow gone.

What the heck.

When did he leave?

And why wasn't her mattress there anymore?

At this point Sachiko could no longer think straight. Eight and a half hours of doing nothing had muddled her brain and she was starting to ask herself if maybe she didn't fall asleep accidentally during her long wait. Maybe she did, maybe not. She couldn't for the life of her remember.

But she was sure of three things now.

One; she no longer had the willpower to wait for Louis to come back from wherever he ran off to.

Two; the mattress was gone, which meant this 'firing' thing was pretty real.

Three; she was hungry, sleepy, and had nowhere to go.

With these three things in mind, Sachiko felt a rage she had never felt before in her life. She was so angry she couldn't see straight. Louis really got rid of her, just like that, like it was easy, completely forgetting that she had no family or place to stay, and he was pretty much the only person she had in the entire world just because, what? He had never seen two people kissing before? Such a conceited snotty brat.

She was not going to talk to him, everything else be damned. She had her pride too, and she wouldn't let him play with her like this. Oh no, the time for resolving things like adults was gone. If _he_ wanted to act like a conceited little… creep, then so be it. She would leave him alone, and when he was drowning in his own regret and loneliness, then _he_ better seek her out, because she sure as hell wouldn't.

In the end, it was easier said than done. First because, well, she really didn't have a place to stay if it wasn't with Louis. She couldn't go with Shiro because he shared a room with another guy, and even if she could the thought of sleeping in the same room as him made her cheeks flare and her breathing become shallow. Besides the way they left things after Louis kicked her out… definitely awkward. She insisted he go back to his duties so she could think a bit about the development of their relationship, and although he wanted to clear things up immediately, he understood with the recent events it was better to leave things be for now, at least.

She could go with Kirche, and she actually tried doing that, but upon reaching her room she was greeted by a few sounds that clearly indicated she… ehem, had company. And she was not about to foolishly confuse those sounds with anything else. The traumatizing and still, unfortunately, very vivid memory of being seven and entering her parents' room without knocking made sure she could never be as naïve as thinking they were moving furniture or wrestling for the sake of it, ever again.

The only one left after all her candidates were deemed unfitted (and she was _not_ counting Guiche; damn it she was not!) to host her indefinitely, was Mr. Colbert. Of course she didn't mean to stay in his room, she was sure not even students were allowed anywhere near the teachers' quarters, but a small place in the lab would suffice until she could somehow get by on her own. Or Louis apologized, very unlikely, by the way.

She should have known better. The lab was stuffy and smelled bad, she definitely couldn't sleep there. Mr. Colbert offered her his bedroom instead, as he often spent more time in his lab anyway, but she politely declined, because even if he was indeed most of his time experimenting and having fun in the shabby hut between the wind and fire elemental towers, she still had some sense of decorum not to get Mr. Colbert in trouble with the other teachers, who would no doubt chastise him for her presence there.

That meant she had to settle with camping. Yep, camping. In Vestri Court, because she rolls that way. And her kettle was already there too, so…

Still, she didn't really spent much time in the small tent Shiro was able to get for her since there was nothing to do. She mostly practiced with Derflinger or visited Colbert in his lab, or went to the kitchen to spend time with Marteau or this kind maid named Siesta who offered to teach her how to sew. The poor soul had no idea what she got herself into.

Right now, she's in Colbert's laboratory, hoping to talk to him about visiting Tarbes with Shiro. Now that Louis is no longer her master (according to him anyway, the runes are still very present in her skin, regardless of the boy's wishes) she has to take things into her own hands. This is, again, easier said than done.

Why did he get so angry? Sure, maybe he's right and kissing someone in his bedroom while he wasn't there (because if he was there it would have been more acceptable?) isn't the most polite thing to do, but he took it to a whole new level. At some point she thought he would try to ask for an explanation, because it's not like she did it on purpose or to piss him off or anything like that. But it's been three days and honestly, even when it just happened she still thought he blew everything out of proportion.

It makes her sad, because she thought they were getting along better, if not for tiny bits that confused her, but better nonetheless. She's getting to know him, but she still has a long way to go, and for some reason or another, she wants that. To get to know each other and become… friends? Could they do that? Was it reasonable to expect that given the type of bond they share? They are both humans; after all, their relationship can't be exactly like that of any master and familiar.

Besides… she likes Louis. He's an interesting person, and honestly, the first boy she has ever formed any type of relation with. She'd never had male friends, the few she talked to were because she had to for school work or something like that or because they were her friends' boyfriends. Even before Shiro, Louis was the first boy she really talked to and felt some sort of connection with, though that might be because of the familiar bond. Or not, she doesn't understand about these things, after all. But she feels comfortable around him, and that's more than she ever hoped to when he first summoned her, only a month ago.

She sighs, letting her chin fall against her chest.

"You don't have to wait until I finish to talk to me, Sachiko" Colbert tells her gently upon hearing her. She blushes at being caught and quickly shakes her head.

"Oh, no, please don't take it like that. I was thinking about something else. I'm not bored or anything, really."

"Even so, I can tell there's something on your mind. Don't you want to share your thoughts with me?"

She bites her lower lip, glancing down. With a swift movement, she gets off the table and wanders next to him, idly watching as he mixes something that looks like sugar and yellow ponder with milk. The smell it's not very flattering. "I was just wondering… about Tarbes…"

Colbert's smile drops, and he leaves the mix on the counter before sighing. "I'm sorry Sachiko; it seems Old Osmond needs me around, so I won't be able to leave the academy for at least three more weeks, if not a whole month. I should have told you before, I'm sorry."

"Oh" her eyes dull a little, but she quickly composes herself. "It's ok; you can't push back work just because of me. Um, if you don't mind me asking… why does Old Osmond need you in the academy for so long?"

"Well, I don't think I'm allowed to tell you this, but…" he walks over to a shelf, from which he takes a few other ingredients he promptly adds to the mysterious mix; "he's worried about the academy's security. Despite being a lot of teachers and staff members in the academy, Old Osmond has only a few selected he really trusts, and I am among them."

"That's a very good thing, isn't it? It means you're someone important" she says with a little smile, trying to light Colbert's frown. He huffs, taking some purple beans and grinding them in a mortar.

"It's more annoying than anything else, but seeing it from your point of view, it does sound like a good thing. It definitely comes with some benefits. I wouldn't be able to have this laboratory if not because of that."

"So, Old Osmond is worried about the academy's security?"

"Oh, yes, he is. He suspects there's someone inside the academy filtering information to an outer source. He wasn't really sure, but there have been a few incidents that could only have happened if someone had knowledge from the inside. He's not happy with this, but he won't ask for help from the palace. Says it's a problem of the academy, and as such, we must take care of it ourselves."

"What kind of incidents?" Sachiko asks, her curiosity taking over again. Colbert purses his lips, apparently debating with himself whether to tell her or not. Finally, he sighs, pouring the contents of the mortar in the mix.

"For starters, that one of our students is possibly a user of the void."

Sachiko's eyes widen, her mouth hanging open. "W-What?"

"Tristain is in a delicate position. Reconquista has finally conquered Albion, but we all know their real intentions don't end there" there's a bit of dark humor in his tone, as he shrugs his shoulders and hums with a grim smile. "Whispers of war have been spreading for as long as a year now. The tension is rising at an alarming speed. A void user could be the perfect weapon in a war we're not really prepared to have, don't you think?"

Sachiko's eyes harden. She clenches her fists, suddenly feeling anger rising up along her seams. "The princess doesn't know about Louis. He has not told her."

"I wasn't talking about the princess" this silences Sachiko, who is taken aback. Colbert sighs. "That man, the captain of the Griffin Corps…"

"He already knew about Louis having the void. I don't think he would have needed someone telling him that information" Sachiko says, confused.

"And I don't doubt that, besides the fact it was too much of a coincidence in the first place. The princess didn't know and yet she sent Mr. Vallière on that mission, conveniently ordering that griffin knight to accompany him. And yet, upon realizing Mr. Vallière wasn't going to betray his country, the griffin knight tried to kill him. Why do you think he did?"

"Because…" something Mr. Colbert said comes to mind. "Better to have him dead, than working against Reconquista from Tristain's side."

"Exactly my point" Sachiko dwells on this a little. Having someone spying on them in the academy is bad enough, but the thought that this person was indirectly responsible for what happened to Louis in Albion… it makes her mad. Furious, even.

She grits her teeth, unsure of where this sudden rush of adrenaline is coming from. Even if her relationship with Louis is strained at the moment, it's not like she wants something bad to happen to him, especially if it is of these proportions. "Then, wouldn't that mean there are two spies? One in the academy and the other in the palace… maybe that's why Wardes was chosen to accompany us to Albion."

"That's a little farfetched. Although it might be true, I'm inclined to believe the princess chose the griffin knight knowing of the relationship he had with Louis. Though now that you say it, that _would_ make things even worse for us" he taps his foot on the floor, crossing his arms. "When I said they knew of one of our students having the void, I was referring more to the fact this could be, along with that knight's statement, what finally drove them to corner Mr. Vallière in Albion, but we can't be sure, not unless we find the spy within our walls first."

"Yes, you're right" she sighs. She sucks at this. Thinking it's not her forte, not for these types of things. Has that not been what people always told her? She should just sit back and smile. Let others deal with troublesome things, for if she did she would just end up hurting herself.

She hates that. She hates that she never had enough confidence to break out of that character they made up for her, and only now she's realizing maybe she should have showed more irritation towards them. Maybe it would have made a difference. But then again, maybe not.

"Well, that's what's going on" Colbert cuts up her depressing thoughts, going back to his mix and adding what looks like the final touches to that… gooey, fluorescent… green thing. Sachiko does her best to repress a shudder. "Back to our original topic, even though it hurts me to tell you this, we'll have to wait to go to Tarbes."

Sachiko sighs. "Yeah, I figured. Don't worry Mr. Colbert, we have time… it's not like my parents aren't worried sick already…" she mutters in a dark tone. Colbert's shoulders hunch, but he says nothing else, because there's honestly nothing he can say to make her feel better. Turning her attention from the gloomy topic, Sachiko instead concentrates on the mix Colbert has been working on since she arrived at his lab around half an hour ago. "By the way, what is that thing you have there?"

Sachiko has no idea why the air has turned so heavy all of a sudden. With a very fake cough and a small blush on his face, Colbert reluctantly answers. "It's… something that can supposedly make hair grow back… I found the recipe a while back and wanted to try it…"

Sachiko says nothing. She looks momentarily at the bald head of the man in front of her, before returning her eyes to his blushing face.

Yeah… awkward. She better leaves before things get out of hand. Or she puts her other foot in her mouth, just in case only one is not enough.

* * *

"I'm back…" Sachiko says, dragging her feet as she enters her boring tent, feeling down after hearing the news from Mr. Colbert.

"Welcome home partner! I take your talk didn't go well…" Derflinger is the first to talk. He's not the only one in the tent. Flame and Verdandi are also there for some reason Sachiko can't fathom. She's not complaining though. They make for good company. The familiar club; or something like that. Besides, it'd be too depressing with only Derflinger around.

She sighs, letting herself fall on her butt next to a foldable table with an unopened bottle of wine in the middle. Besides the table there's a futon, which it's actually only some hay she grabbed from the stables with a blanket on top. Looking around, she sighs again. Her life has become really sad.

"It will take three weeks or even a month before he gets permission to leave the academy" she says as way of explanation, reaching for the wine bottle. God bless Shiro for sneaking it out for her. Although… maybe Marteau just up and gave it to him without hesitation. He has been giving her extra food since he heard about her being fired. Luckily the reason behind it was still a secret.

"Can't you go with that servant boy then? It's not like you're tied to the academy now that Louis doesn't want you, and you told me you suspect he's a descendant of that man that supposedly comes from your world."

"He invited me over for the holidays, and that's still a month away" she uncorks the bottle and unceremoniously drinks directly from it. Derflinger makes a sound of disgust.

"Goodness sake! Can't you use a glass at least? That's no way for a lady to drink!"

"I'm not a lady, I'm a familiar" she responds dryly, but she stops to consider for a second. "Actually, scratch that, I'm not a familiar anymore, just a poor, unlucky girl who was kicked out by her only source of maintenance. Life sucks like that" she takes another gulp. "Anyway, I didn't take you for the type to bitch about something like that."

"Two gulps and already starting with the vulgar language. You disappoint me partner."

"Bits me."

Flame and Verdandi exchange a perplexed glance, before the former carefully approaches her and drops his head on her lap, tugging at her parka affectionately. Verdandi curls up next to her, and Sachiko absently takes turns caressing the two of them. They are good company. She really would have been driven crazy if she had to stay only with Derflinger.

"Do you think Louis will apologize some day?" she asks absently, slowly falling on her back. Derflinger scoffs.

"Do you want to make up with him?"

"Well, this situation is really unfavorable for me… besides, it's not like I hate him… he's sometimes nice to be around…"

"Do you miss him?"

Sachiko gives that a good thought. Does she? She's not sure. She definitely misses the commodities she had when living with him, namely a mattress and being protected from the cold wind of the night the tent can do nothing against, but missing him, as a person, as her master? _Well, I do like him as a person, but do I miss him for him or just the relationship he threw away like it was nothing? Maybe…_

Then, out of nowhere, Verdandi suddenly stands up and starts to smell the air. He produces a happy sound before running out of the tent. Sachiko sits up immediately, and after exchanging a curious gaze with Flame, she crawls towards the exit. She instantly hears a flamboyant voice that gives her an instant headache.

"Verdandi! Here you are! What are you doing in a place like this?" Guiche hugs his familiar and rubs his cheeks happily. Then, with a start, he notices Sachiko, lying on her stomach on the ground, half of her body out of the tent. "What on heavens are you doing?" he asks, not amused. Sachiko frowns.

"Having a blast. You?" she rests her head on one hand. Guiche raises an eyebrow, before eying the tent she's in. He scoffs.

"Nice place" he says sarcastically, crossing his arms. Sachiko rolls her eyes, before turning around and resting on her back. "I heard Louis kicked you out, so you're living here now? How unsightly."

"Shut up! And what if it's unsightly? I have nowhere else to go!" she says, pouting. Guiche laughs.

"Too bad. When the teachers see you, they will tell you to get out" he comments, unconcerned. Sachiko stares at him blankly, before suddenly and without explanation bursting into tears. "W-wait! Why are you crying?!" Guiche jumps on one leg, and Verdandi rapidly goes to her, caressing her hair with his nose and giving Guiche a reprimanding look. "W-what?" he asks, gazing away embarrassedly. Sachiko shakes her head.

"Why am I so hopeless?" she sits up and crawls back in. Verdandi hesitates for a few seconds, before looking at Guiche and giving him a light hit on the leg with his head.

"Huh? You mean go inside?" his voice sounds dubious. Verdandi nods and Guiche thinks for a moment, making his familiar hit him again, with a little more force this time. "Ah! Alright, I'll do it! But just for you!" he says, breathing deeply and walking inside. Verdandi follows him happily.

* * *

He drums his fingers against his desk, a hand on his cheek while he gazes outside the window with a bored expression. His room has a view of Austri Court, the biggest and most spacious in the academy. It's the one that's taken care of the most, with blossoms and flowers decorating the corners and a few benches strew around for students to sit and relax. The court is usually crowded with people, but at this time of the day it's mostly empty, only a few students wandering about.

He was planning to use this time to investigate the Founder's Prayer Book, but after Montmorency kicked him out of her room his plans were completely ruined. He doesn't have classes for the rest of the day, and thus, doesn't really have anything to do until dinner time.

Before summoning Sachiko, Louis used to use any free time he had to study or read, not having any friends to hang out with or reason to leave his room outside classes and meal time. He can't say the solitude never bothered him. Although he does like being alone, he has never been the lone wolf type of guy, but having no one in the academy (and Kirche and Montmorency don't count, they wouldn't want to be with him even if he seek them out, anyway) he was left completely on his own, a fact he grew to accept and deal with.

It's exactly this that makes him feel a mix of longing and frustration. He tried to study, but his mind couldn't seem to concentrate on anything he was reading, so he quitted before any more frustration could build up. He knows the reason for this. In the past month, he grew spoiled by Sachiko's presence. Even if they didn't talk, she was always there, and her presence was soothing, where he never had anyone to share his lonely afternoons with.

He… misses her. The empty space she filled up, in any case. When he looks to the place on the floor below the window, where her mattress was, he feels something constricting on his chest that he doesn't like. Why did he throw away her mattress? The mere sight of it, just minutes after he caught her kissing with that servant set his blood to boiling. He wasn't thinking when he grabbed it and threw it through the window. It actually makes him blush thinking how irrational he became. Hours later, he went down to get it back (completely missing a sleeping Sachiko on the other side due to his hastiness) but the mattress was no longer there. He didn't ask for it again, it would be too embarrassing explaining the reason he got rid of the mattress in the first place, and just went back to his room, only to find the door wide open but the place empty.

So Sachiko literally forced her way in, but wasn't courteous enough to wait for him. Granted, he ignored her when she tried to talk to him earlier that day, but why wasn't she there afterwards?

He didn't go looking for her, waiting for her to come and talk to him, but she didn't, and he couldn't find enough courage within himself to look for her on his own. He was still fuming over the fact she kissed someone in his room, and, deep down, that she did it with someone else.

He huffs, throwing his head back and staring at the ceiling. Fine, he admits it, he _hates_ that Sachiko kissed someone other than him. When did she become so close to that servant? Why kissing him? Does she _like_ him? It's not like he can actively meddle in her life. He's her master, but she's still a person and because of that he can't tell her who she can like and not. He can't control her life, and someday, if she never goes back to her home, she will want to marry and have a family and…

And he won't have a say in the matter. Because the whole master-familiar relationship is completely screw up with them simply for the fact Sachiko is a human, and even though by all laws and social conventions he _owns her_ , he actually doesn't.

But that doesn't mean he likes it. He doesn't want to share her with anybody, not even her future husband and children. It makes him mad just thinking about it. And he feels bad for being angry, which makes him frustrated, which makes him confused…

Darn it, where is that girl?! Why isn't she coming back so they can solve things once and for all?! She can't tell him she's having an easy time without his sustenance, even if she (sadly for him) doesn't care about him nor has feelings for him or… anything.

Just as he's burning his head with this, a firm knock is heard from the door. Without losing a single second, he stands up and runs to the door, opening it with such force he could have pulled it out of its hinges if he was stronger.

"Finally! What took you so lo-?"

"Not who you were expecting?" Kirche smiles knowingly, teasingly. Louis scowls and tries to close the door on her face, but she gracefully sidesteps and enters, much to his chagrin. He slams the door shut and turns to her.

"Why are you here?" his tone is cold, but Kirche pays no mind to that. She shrugs.

"Heard you 'fired' your familiar, and was curious about it. What happened?" her smirk is frustrating. Louis grunts, walking to his desk again.

"Not your business."

"Oh, come on, just tell me. It must be something pretty bad considering you never appealed to this kind of thing before. Did she sneak into your bed or what?" Louis blushes involuntarily at the thought, making Kirche laugh loudly.

"Zerbst, get out" he commands, not even looking at her. Instead, the redhead decides to do something different. Slowly, she approaches him, and with a smooth movement, grabs the book he was pretending to read and sits on his desk, crossing her legs seductively. She chuckles at Louis' peeved expression.

" _A Comprehensible Study of Trade and Treaty in Halkeginia_. Why do you read such boring books?" she flips the pages carelessly. Louis snatches it from her and stands up. With Kirche sitting on the desk, he can now look at her directly in the eye. He growls.

"I told you to get out" his tone is low and dangerous, but that doesn't faze Kirche. She huffs.

"She's camping in Vestri Court, you know?" she says suddenly, folding her arms. Louis raises an eyebrow, surprised at this information but no showing it. He tilts his head, silently asking her to continue. "As soon as the teachers notice her there, they'll kick her out, and then she'll have nowhere to go. Why don't you talk to her before that happens?" she asks seriously. Louis narrows his eyes.

"What do you have to do with this? Mind your own business."

"Sachiko is my friend, and I don't understand what she could have done to get you to kick her out."

"She's not your friend" he snorts. "You just got close to her to get to me, stop pretending otherwise."

Kirche looks at him cross-eyed, unfolding her arms and leaning towards him, her whole face a mask of annoyance. "You can be so irritating when you want."

"Likewise" he shots back, his face hardening just like hers. Kirche clicks her tongue, finally leaning back. She shakes her head, a hand softly caressing her fiery locks.

"Listen, I don't have time for this, and I can see you want me here as much as I want to lose my time with you like this, so let's get straight to the point: talk to Sachiko, mend anything that there is to mend and get this over with. I don't know why the two of you fought, but I'm almost positive you blew things out of proportion, so the very least you can do is listen to her side of the story and be done with it. This is not a good situation for her, and you and I both know that very well."

"That's easy for you to say…" Louis mutters, almost pouting. Kirche rolls her eyes.

"So I'm right, no? It was your fault."

" _She_ was the one to do the blunder. I reacted accordingly to the situation."

"By 'firing' her, yeah, I can see that."

He growls, pushing both hands to his hair and gripping it, almost desperately. "What do you want me to say? I came back from the library, after spending the whole afternoon looking for information _for her_ , and what do I find? She, eating a servant's face, here in my room! I wasn't really thinking, ok?!"

Kirche's mouth falls, actually not having expected Louis to be so honest. She bites her lower lip, her eyebrows rising a small bit. "Oh, so it was that… um… not really nice, I guess."

"Exactly!" he throws his arms down, his pupils dilated. "So, do you get it now? Why I reacted like that?"

"I can see how you could lose control with something like that, but that doesn't mean you made the right decision, you impulsive brat. In fact, why didn't you apologize already? I know you, not even _you_ can be so unreasonable for such a prolonged period of time."

That is not the answer Louis wanted to hear, but it's the one he knew was coming. Shamefully he looks to the side, hating the way his face heats a little under Kirche's scrutiny. After a few moments of this, the redhead sighs, throwing her arms up in the air as if she's given up.

"Stupid question, of course we know why you can't bring yourself to talk to her."

"Shut up."

"Who was the servant she was kissing? The black-haired one?" Louis nods stiffly, and Kirche gives a low whistle. "I have to admit this, that girl has good taste. Way to go too, I'm proud of her."

"I hate you."

"I know darling, I know" she purses her lips, kicking her legs slightly over the edge of the desk. Louis is still trying to tone down his embarrassment, so it gives Kirche time to think of her next words carefully. "Um, this is complicated. It's not like you can just tell her the reason you reacted so badly was because you were jealous…"

"I wasn't jealous" he says fiercely, but it's ignored.

"But she would want to know…" she taps her lower lip, thinking. Louis sighs.

"Zerbst, if this is all you wanted to know, I would appreciate if you leave now. I _really_ want to be alone" Kirche frowns, getting off the desk and crossing her arms.

"It's exactly for this reason you're still here, unable to tell the girl you like you made a mistake. Why don't you leave your pride aside for a while? There are more important things in life, you know?"

"Because you're the right person to be preaching about humbleness, aren't you?" he snorts. "Please Zerbst; I don't need your false encouragement. And make no mistake; I don't _like_ Sachiko, ok?"

"Of course you don't, you were just jealous because that servant probably kisses better than you."

"That is not-!" he closes his mouth, his face becoming red, and tries to calm down. "Don't… say things that are completely unrelated."

"Why? You're worried it might be true?"

"Stop."

"See? You wouldn't feel so insecure about your kissing if you'd never replaced me with the princess as a kissing partner" she purrs with a sultry look, sensually running her hands over his chest. "Why don't we have another go? For old time's sake" she leans down, her hands going to his nape and hair, getting her lips closer to his.

Louis stamps a hand over her mouth and pushes her softly. In her moment of confusion, he grabs her hand and guides her outside the room. Before Kirche can process what happened, the door is already closing on her face.

It takes her a few seconds to get herself together. "Tsk, whatever, it's not like I wanted to kiss you" she says, hiding her hurt, and with her chin up, leaves in the direction of the academy's courtyard.

* * *

The redhead goes to Vestri Court, irritated from her conversation with Louis and subsequent rejection. She rapidly finds the lonely tent set in a corner of the courtyard, and approaches it with haste. A… quite interesting scene receives her when she enters.

"I just accepted to escort her during our family vacation at Ragdorian Lake, I've never done anything with her, but Montmorency just keeps insisting about this. She'll never forgive me!" cries a drunken Guiche, who is lying on the floor, resting his head on Sachiko's lap. The young girl has a bottle of wine in one hand and with the other she's drowsily caressing Guiche's head, as one would a dog. She sighs, giving another gulp to the bottle.

"Yeah, yeah, it's your fault no matter what you say. You shouldn't be flirting with other girls if you already have a girlfriend" she says disinterestedly. Guiche sits up and prompts Sachiko for the wine, which she gives up a bit reluctantly. Next to them, Verdandi, Flame and Derflinger are watching the two interact with as much amusement as Kirche. _So here's where my familiar went._

She clears her throat, catching their attention. They slowly turn to look at her.

"May I join?" she asks softly, sitting beside them. Guiche's opening his mouth to answer her, but Sachiko beats him to it.

"Another one? What's with all of you trying to steal my wine?" she asks despairingly, snatching the wine bottle from Guiche's grasp and standing up, the young male falling harshly to the ground in the process. "And this was my last bottle, fuck you all…" she throws it away. Kirche can't help but laugh at her display.

"Oh, Sachiko, you're really wasted, aren't you?"

"Not enough, I need more alcohol" she folds her arms, pouting. Guiche, who's still on the ground, seems not to have realized he had been thrown at all, and simply closes his eyes, intending in taking a little nap. Sachiko doesn't hesitate to stomp on his stomach. "Wake up! You still have to keep me company!"

The blond groans, and in a faster motion one would have expected from someone this drunk, grabs her ankle and makes her stumble to the floor, face first. She slowly lifts herself, eyeing him with hatred.

"You just wait you f–"

"Alright, alright" Kirche is laughing wholeheartedly by then, and with a hand gesture, stands up. "As much as I love seeing you two getting along so well, I actually have something really important to say to the both of you. Well, more to Sachiko, but I guess you can hear it too Guiche" she winks. The two idiots rapidly turn to her, their eyes glassy from the wine they drunk. Kirche takes out some papers from her cleavage, and hands them to Sachiko.

The young girl goes through them almost in automatic mode, and after eyeing two or three, she drops them in her lap, sighing.

"What the hell are these things Kirche?" she asks in a monotone. Guiche takes the liberty to examine the papers next, and upon doing it, gasps.

"Treasure maps! But how… where did you get these?" he's astonished, the discovery having sobered him up almost instantly. Kirche shrugs.

"I have my contacts" she takes them away once again and folds them neatly. "So, Sachiko, do you plan on living on this tent for the rest of your life?" she asks, hands on her hips. Sachiko sighs.

"No, only until the teachers drive me out" she stretches, not really paying attention to the redhead. Kirche hums, knowing the next question will have a better impact on her.

"I see. Tell me, do you want to become a noble?" just as she expected it, Sachiko freezes, her eyes opening as big as saucers. Guiche too, is taken aback.

"What are you saying? Commoners can't become nobles! It's against the law!" the only male exclaims. Sachiko tilts her head, surprised at this piece of information.

"In Tristain, that is. However, in Germania, even if you're a commoner you can achieve a high status if you have enough money" she looks at Sachiko, a smile plastered on her face. "You could buy lands and build a castle; then you wouldn't have to depend on Louis anymore."

That certainly sounds appealing, even if Sachiko still has problems grasping what Kirche is talking about. Guiche snorts.

"And that's the reason Germania is such an uncivilized country! Allowing commoners to become nobles, unbelievable!" he huffs, acting disgusted. Kirche rolls her eyes.

"And that's the reason Tristain is such a weak country, because it continues fumbling over useless traditions instead of organizing and thinking about more important matters" she folds her arms, knowing herself the victor after seeing Guiche's frustrated expression. Sachiko, who has been quiet all this time, finally decides to speak up.

"What you're saying is… that I should earn money and become a noble in your country?" she asks with a doubtful expression. Kirche nods.

"Think about it this way: aren't you angry Louis fired you just because he overreacted? I can assure you, there's no better way to tick him off than becoming a noble! He no longer will have any real power over you, and you'll be free to do as you please with your money afterwards."

"If you put it that way…" Sachiko bites her lips, glancing towards her lap. Looking at it from a practical point of view, becoming a noble might not be such a bad idea after all. Not because she really wants to be a noble, but she supposes that with the title comes power, and with power comes even more money, and that's something she (maybe) will need if she wants to find a way back to her world. She doesn't have Louis' support anymore, and she's practically in a blank spot when it comes to this, so maybe this is a good chance for her to approach matters from a different angle. Besides, the thought of bothering Louis is too tempting to pass up.

She sighs.

"You'd better not be seriously thinking about it" Guiche warns upon seeing her expression. She sends him a threatening glare.

"Shut up Guiche. Anyway, though it's cool and all, there's still a little problem" Sachiko scratches her neck, and Kirche prompts her to continue. "Where do I get the money?"

Kirche takes out the maps again, flapping them on Sachiko's face. "We're going treasure hunting!" she chimes. Sachiko beams, but Guiche looks dubious.

"Are you sure they're real? There are many people that sell fakes and hoax others like that" he says worriedly. Kirche shrugs.

"Well, even if they're not, with so many there has to be one authentic. So, what do you say?"

"Sure, I don't see a problem with it" Sachiko says easily.

"Great!" Kirche bursts with excitement, as if she'd say yes to one of her greatest dreams. It confuses Sachiko.

"Why are you helping me Kirche?" she blurts out suddenly, pinching her bubble. The redhead blinks, as if she didn't expect her to ask something like that. "Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate you took effort and time to think about doing this for me, but I don't get it. Why would you want to help me in the first place? It's not like we've known each other for a long time…"

"Because if someone can do it, it's definitely you" she answers, matter-of-factly. Sachiko frowns, not understanding. "I told you once, didn't I? That you impressed me. To me, it doesn't matter if the other person is a noble or a commoner, as long as that person gives everything of them to accomplish a goal, I find them admirable. I guess you can say it makes me want to cheer them on" she shrugs, resting importance to her answer. "Although, if you want my opinion, I think Louis deserves to be alone for a while. Put his thoughts in order and such. It will do him good, I think."

"I see…" she didn't expect that kind of answer from Kirche, but she likes it. She finds it, dare she say it, noble. She also agrees that Louis should better be left alone. Even though she's not sure he's going to back down from his decision, she still has the hope that, after a while, he will eventually come around and if not apologize, at least accept her back.

Besides, she has time to kill until Colbert is finally free to accompany her to Tarbes.

Taking a breath and letting a smile play at her lips, she looks up at Kirche. "Alright, let's do this!"

"Let's do what?"

The three of them, plus Flame and Verdandi, turn to look at the new presence that had just appeared at the entrance of the tent. Sachiko's face explodes in color upon seeing Shiro there, holding a small tray with a plate of cookies and a set of tea. His eyes are inquisitive, and he looks from Kirche to Guiche to Sachiko, an awkward smile appearing on his face.

"Um, am I interrupting something?"

Before Sachiko can even get a word out, Kirche is already prowling him. "So it's you! You are Sachiko's little boyfriend, aren't you?" her eyes get half-lidded, her smile and demeanor a combination of teasing and sultry. Sachiko chokes on her own saliva while Shiro's eyes open wide.

"Boyfriend…? Did Sachiko say that?" he looks curiously at the girl who's practically suffocating, but his attention snaps back to the redhead as she boldly steps into his personal space, her huge chest leaning on his right side while her hands caress his arm and shoulder.

"She didn't have to. And I was wrong, you're not little _at all_ …" she says with a pleased smile. Shiro shifts a bit uncomfortably, but it's not like he can push her away. His hands are busy, plus, she's a noble. He looks at Sachiko for help, and this makes the girl finally snap back to reality.

"Hey, keep your hands off him!" she yells at Kirche, roughly grabbing her arm and tugging her away from him. The girl simply laughs, finding the whole situation extremely funny.

"Don't worry Sachiko, I would _never_ dare to take your man from you, but don't be so stingy, there's nothing wrong with letting me take a small sample, is there?" she licks her lips while looking at Shiro. Sachiko's mouth falls open. Shiro closes his eyes, repressing a shudder.

"I'll… just leave this here and be on my way. Excuse me…" he places the tray on the foldable table and makes to run from the tent, but Kirche intercepts him again. He gulps nervously.

"Tell me one thing, before coming to work in the academy, were you part of the militia, by chance?"

"Kirche, what do you think you're…" Sachiko is feeling her patience run thin, but is surprised when Shiro blinks at the redhead, his nervous expression changing to one of surprise.

"Yes… how did you…?"

"Which service?"

"The Air Forces…"

"Shiro…" Sachiko says, taking a step forward. "You used to be… a soldier?"

"Um… I actually reached the rank of Lieutenant, but I guess…"

"Someone like you? Aren't you just a commoner?" Guiche asks with incredulity, but also a little bit of curiosity. Shiro purses his lips, trying not to look offended at the boy's question.

"The Air Forces are different from other services of the military. Even a commoner can become an officer if they achieve enough."

"And I can see you did just that" Kirche speaks again, looking him up and down with approval. "You want to know how I know you were in the military?" she doesn't wait for him to answer, she gets on with it with a big smile. "I can tell just by looking at you. You have the poise of someone who has fought and been hardened by war. Besides" she grabs his arm again and squeezes, her other arm running from his abdomen to his chest in a slow movement. "These can't be obtained just by cleaning up a few rooms…"

Before she can continue teasing Shiro, she's unwound from him and threw back with no delicacy at all, a panting Sachiko glaring at her with her face red from rage.

"I told you to stop bothering him!" now because of her she can't stop imagining Shiro dress up in a military uniform. Ugh, she had enough with butler, she doesn't need _Lieutenant_ at that…

"Oh, Sachiko, that was rude" even if she says that, Kirche doesn't look particularly bothered by the other girl's rough treatment. She stands up and dusts herself, looking at Shiro again. Sachiko tenses in preparation to fight, but instead, Kirche finally goes back to her normal, unassuming self. "Anyway, before any of you think I was really trying to come into this handsome man here, _though I wouldn't care to do that at all_ , there was a point to all my asking."

"What?" Sachiko is the one who asks, positioning herself in front of Shiro. She no longer trusts Kirche on her own.

The redhead laughs at this, something that doesn't sit well with Sachiko. "I was just going to suggest letting your sweetheart accompany us in our treasure hunting. None of us can cook, and besides, he looks strong enough to defend himself in case he needs to."

This statement leaves everyone present stunned to silence. Finally, Sachiko speaks.

"No."

"Oh, come on, don't be so…"

"You're going treasure hunting?" Shiro asks, unable to help himself. Sachiko blushes and looks down, so Kirche answers for her.

"Our objective is getting enough money to help Sachiko become a noble in my country. Now that she's no longer under Louis' care, she needs a new source of income. We wouldn't want her to live like this forever, do we?" she points at the tent with her hands. Shiro tilts his head, looking at Sachiko.

"Is that true?"

"I-It's just a sort of c-contingency plan… something to do in the meantime…"

"But why a noble? If you get money you don't need to try something so drastic. With that kind of money you could… I don't know, buy a vineyard and make wine… live comfortably without having to go to Germania"

"Making wine it's boring" Kirche says, her hands on her hips. "Where would she buy the land for that kind of thing, anyway?"

"She could do it in my village…" he says sheepishly, looking away. Sachiko blushes, staring at him with fascination. She opens her mouth to say something, but it's interrupted by Guiche, who stands up, catching everyone's attention.

"I suppose since the objective is to retrieve money for Sachiko, she'll decide what she wants to do with it later. Now, why don't we think where to go first?" he asks, grabbing one of the maps. Sachiko, Kirche and Shiro all stare at him in awe.

"You're going to accompany us?" Sachiko asks, perplexed. The blonde shrugs.

"Sure, it sounds fun and I'm pretty bored anyway. Though I doubt we'll actually find anything."

"Hold your enthusiasm, we're drowning…" _Jerk._

"Anyway, what do you say, do you want to accompany us?" Kirche asks again. Sachiko huffs, getting a word before Shiro can talk.

"He can't do that! He has to work; he can't leave his responsibilities like the two of you!"

"That's a low blow Sachiko."

"Yeah, we're kind of doing this for you…"

"I actually would like to accompany you" Sachiko's head turns so fast in his direction he hears a snap. Ouch.

"What are you talking about? Marteau will…"

"If I tell him I'm doing something for you he'll let me go, you know how he is" he smiles, reaching forward and caressing her head. "If you're worried about me getting hurt, then don't. I don't plan on letting anything happen to me."

"Yeah, but…" it's not just the fear of something bad happening to him. They have yet to talk about their kiss. It's a conversation she's both excited and terrified to have, and if they leave the academy, they would have to be together in close proximity for days and days on end, maybe even weeks. And… well, she doesn't know if she's prepared for that.

"Alright, it's decided then!" Kirche takes control of the conversation once again, directing everyone's attention back at her. "Gather your things, we'll leave in approximately and hour! I have to tell Tabitha about this, we'll need Sylphid!" and with that she runs off, closely followed by Guiche and, after giving her a reassuring smile, Shiro.

Sachiko stays there, not having much to gather for herself, and lets out a long sigh. Guess she'll have to gather up her courage for the inevitable conversation with Shiro. In the meantime, she still has cookies and tea waiting for her.

* * *

 **N/A: I still can't believe I literally wrote +10,000 words of nothing but character introspection. It's important though, because I'm aware some people were confused because of Louis' attitude last chapter. There's one thing I want to say though: everything everyone does has a reason for being. I'm not making characters purposely inconsistent, and if it looks like that it's because the explanation will be given sometime in another chapter.**

 **On another note, there's something that has been bothering me for a while. I know perfectly well that genderbent fanfiction it's one of the easiest things to do, you literally don't have to do anything but change the characters genders and a few situations, and you can go with the natural course of canon without thinking much. And I know that I'm not contributing anything to this fandom, it wasn't really my intention to do a masterpiece or explore the world to its full potential or anything like that. I only wanted to do a simple genderbent fanfiction. Changed a few things not to make it _completely_ identical to the original and that's it. I do try to make it interesting, but I'm mostly writing something _I_ like, and what I feel I would want to read. I know, deep down, it's not as good as it could be, and that there's probably someone out there who could do a work a thousand times better than what I'm doing, but unfortunately, that person didn't write a genderbent fanfiction to sate my need for one, and because of that we're stuck with my version. I'm still surprised this thing has as many follows and favs as it does. I literally was expecting 10 or so, _at most_ , so I'm grateful. Knowing there's people who like what I write even if it isn't really good makes me very happy.**

 **Now that we're talking about the story in general, let's clarify a few things: I'm following the light novels timeline, this means the invasion of Tarbes will be happening _before_ the incident with the water spirit, since a few people were wondering. Also, I'm erasing the reset button reserved for comedy in the original, this means people learn of their mistakes, even if it doesn't look like it because we don't have the full version yet. I'm keeping the ecchi, because I'm a pervert, but the harem it's gone, mostly because of lack of males for Sachiko (sorry for you, I'm actually a fan of reversed harems).**

 **I was actually going to get on with the visit to Tarbes in this chapter, but then I remembered there's still a whole month before the invasion, and what am I going to make the characters do in the meantime? So I included the treasure hunting subplot, but it's not going to take very long. And another funny thing someone asked me, and maybe you'd be interested in reading my response: why doesn't Louis hit Sachiko? It's not like male tsunderes can't do that. And here's the reason: double standard. In the original, Louise is especifically stated that she doesn't know how to act around boys because she was never with them while growing up. Louis, on the other hand, it's the contrary: he was only with girls while growing up, and the 'don't hit girls, don't make girls cry' it's too embedded in him to act on his feelings like that. He is still volatile, as you could see in the last chapter, but he is nowhere near Louise's level.**

 **Anyway, it looks the A/N is longer than the chapter. If there's something you would like to ask, you can leave a review or PM and I'll answer. But please, _please_ try to be nice. There is this one person who's always sending me PMs in a very rude tone and sometimes with not very pleasant words, and honestly, I don't want to deal with that kind of thing, not now.**


	18. Chapter 17: Treasure Hunting

**.**

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 17: Treasure Hunting**

 **...**

"Sachiko it's gonna be the princess!"

The five-year-old little girl raises her eyes at the exclamation, surprised to even hear her classmates making it. She had been sitting under the shadow of a tree, boringly watching as the others run and play around, while she can do nothing but stay put, and all because of the sling on her right arm.

The doctor said she could get rid of it in a few more weeks, but it's been three weeks, and besides changing the heavy plaster cast and thus having a little more of liberty in her movements, she is as helpless as she was then. Her mama doesn't even let her go to the bathroom alone, and it makes her sad because it's been only a small time since she could do it by herself. She was so excited too.

Her classmates don't play with her anymore, it's difficult since the teachers told them very clearly they had to let her rest so her arm can get better sooner, but it's been lonely for her. Almost no one stays with her the whole recess, and she can't paint with her fingers or run or play or climb trees; which is how she ended up like this: falling off a tree during a race to the top with her friends. She landed on her arm and afterwards it was only pain and hospitals and her mama crying.

Hiroshi, the boy who said that, approaches her and grabs her left hand, urging her to stand up and go with him. "Come on Sachiko, we need a princess!"

"Why is Sachiko the princess? I want to be the princess!" Rika, another classmate with short dark brown hair, complains. She's boisterous and is the only girl who passes so much time with the boys. She's also Sachiko's best friend.

Hiroshi shakes his head, dragging Sachiko who's following him reflexively. "Princesses have to be nice and quiet. Rika it's always trying to fight with us."

"That's true!" Kou, another boy from the same class, taunts the poor girl, who immediately hits him on the arm with her tiny fist. "Ouch! See? You can't be the princess" he says, kneading his injured arm. Rika huffs and crosses her arms, just at the same time that Sachiko arrives with Hiroshi.

"So, we're going to do it like this: Sachiko it's the princess, and she will be waiting right there" he points at the playground, to the swings, "Kou it's going to be the dragon guarding her, and Rika the mean witch who is envious of the pr-ouch!"

"I am _not_ a witch!"

"Fine! The powerful wizard that controls the dragon!"

"I don't want to be controlled by Rika!"

"Too bad for you" the girl sticks out her tongue at him, causing Sachiko to laugh, a small hand over her mouth. Hiroshi continues explaining the game, and in no time all the children are in their positions. Sachiko sits on the swing and rocks a little with her feet, all the while watching the others mock fighting with sticks. She knows what the role of the princess is. It's not the first time she's playing the part. And it's not the first time she wants to stand up and fight too.

There was one time when she did that, exchanged roles with Rika and became the knight. Everybody complained and refused to keep playing, and Rika got angry with her for ruining the game, but mostly because everybody preferred her to be the princess. When she told her mama that, she simply said she should be happy everyone thinks of her as a princess. That it means they all think she's someone worth protecting. For Sachiko, it felt more like they didn't believe she could live up to the expectations of being a knight.

It was a shame; really, that the first and only time she tried to show others she wasn't some delicate princess was the time she broke her arm. Rika didn't even complain like she usually does about not being chosen as the princess again. Everyone seems to be taking extra care of her, and although it's nice, it's also frustrating.

"You have to learn to let others help you" it's what her mama told her when she complained.

Maybe she's the only one who cares. Nobody else seems to make such a big deal out of it. Maybe it's normal to let others pamper her and treat her like she's something delicate; something that has to be handled with care. She doesn't feel like she needs to be taken care of so much, but if everyone says so it must be true, right?

She kicks off the soil at her feet and rocks again, waiting for the game to be over. At least she's helping, even if she's not actively doing anything. She looks up again, watching Hiroshi battling with Rika, who's using a bunch of fallen leaves as some sort of magical attack. Kou is right behind her, flexing his arms and roaring. She smiles, standing up. She knows what she's supposed to do now.

"Oh, handsome knight, please help me!" she exclaims, trying to hold back her giggles. Hiroshi blushes and yells at her not to distract him, only to accidentally hit Rika with the stick with enough force to knock her to the ground. Rika doesn't take it very lightly and quickly jumps at him, forgetting about the game and throwing hits at him while the rest of the boys laugh at them.

The teacher doesn't take long to interrupt, separating Rika and Hiroshi and chiding Rika because 'that's not how a girl should behave'. She's surprised Sachiko it's with them, and she's briskly dragged away and told to stay within her sight. She mutters something about keeping an eye on her so as to avoid dangerous situations. She's not allowed to go out again for the rest of the day.

When everybody is starting to gather their things at the end of the day, Rika approaches her and roughly puts a candy on her open palm.

"Hiroshi likes you" it's what she says as Sachiko maneuvers to unwrap the candy with one hand. She freezes momentarily, watching Rika as she huffs and crosses her arms with a pout.

"What are you saying?" she asks with a small laugh and a tiny blush. Rika rolls her eyes with all the bratty impatience that can only come with a five-year-old.

"That's why he always wants you to be the princess. He wants you to give him a kiss for rescuing you" Sachiko looks to the side, where Hiroshi is talking with Kou and another boy. He doesn't look too interested in her, in her opinion.

She looks back towards Rika, and something clicks in her mind. "Do you like Hiroshi?"

The blush on the other girl's face it's enough of an answer. "As if. He's not even cute."

"If it makes you feel better, I think Kou likes you."

"Ugh, don't say something so disgusting!" Rika shudders as she wraps her arms around herself protectively. Sachiko only laughs, covering her mouth with her hand. Rika squints at this gesture. "It's because you behave like this that nobody wants to let you do anything."

Sachiko stops laughing, blinking in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"You're so dainty. Makes people want to protect you."

"Mama says I always have to cover my mouth when I laugh; and that people wanting to protect me it's a good thing" Sachiko defends with a frown. Rika shrugs.

"I don't know if you should do what your mama says. I heard my mama saying the other day that your mama it's not a good influence."

Sachiko's frown deepens. Her mouth twists in an angry gesture. "Why do you say that?"

"I didn't! It was my mama! And she said it's because your mama it's too young, or something like that…" she bites her lower lip, trying to remember. "That a child wouldn't know how to take proper care of another child, I think…"

"My mama it's not a child!" Sachiko complains loudly, attracting the attention of the other children. It's not the first time she has heard someone saying this. Usually it's other adults, whispering under their breaths about how young her mother is, about the age difference between her and her papa. Sachiko doesn't understand it. Her mama couldn't be her mama if she were a child. Even she knows how stupid that is.

"I'm sorry! Please don't get angry!" Rika says, raising her hands in a placating gesture. Sachiko pouts, looking away and feeling bad for yelling at Rika. Her mama would be angry at her. She always tells her to keep composure and be a nice girl even if the other person isn't nice with her.

For this reason, she sighs and turns back to Rika. "I'm sorry Rika. I didn't mean to yell at you."

Rika sighs with relief. "It's ok. I promise I won't talk about your mama again; friends?" she shows her pinky and waits. Sachiko laces her pinky with hers and smiles. "When are you taking off that thing?" she points at the sling. Sachiko looks at it before answering.

"The doctor said two weeks. Do you think I can be the knight when it's done? That way you won't have to fight with Hiroshi anymore."

"Sure, but I don't know if the teachers will let you" at this, Sachiko tilts her head in confusion.

"Why? It's only while I have this that they don't let me play with you."

Rika shakes her head, leaving Sachiko even more confused. She wants to ask, but in that moment they come for Rika, and she has to wave her friend goodbye.

She's left wondering the meaning of Rika's last expression.

* * *

 _Being a knight it's not as fun as I thought…_

She pants, recovering her breath after the battle she has just fought. Kirche and Guiche rapidly run towards her, big grins plastered on their faces. Tabitha approaches at a slower pace.

"Good job Sachiko! Sorry we couldn't help you, it was a bit difficult with the ogres chasing after us" Guiche says happily. Kirche doesn't hesitate to hit him on the head. "Auch! What was that for?"

"It's your fault they started chasing us in the first place! Remember the plan? Lure them to a pit your mole dug and burn them? Why couldn't you just do that!" she exclaims angrily. Guiche snorts.

"As if they would just fall into the pit. The one who makes the first move wins!" he proclaims haughtily. Kirche rolls her eyes.

"It's your familiar, have a little more faith. Ah, just look at this mess!" she gestures towards the ogres' littered bodies. They are mangled and bloodied, and some even have their extremities cut off. Sachiko huffs.

"It's not like I could do much, they just wouldn't stop moving…" she cleans Derflinger with some tall grass near her, and sheathes it before looking at what she has done. She grimaces, remembering their screams and the sensation of the blade slicing through their flesh. Even if they were monsters, they were still living beings. She has never killed before, and she hopes she doesn't have to do it regularly. It made her stomach shrink in disgust.

 _I wonder what Hiroshi and Rika would have felt killing these monsters if they were in my place._

"Well, with that done, I guess we can finally claim our treasure, right?" Guiche asks enthusiastically. Kirche sighs, deciding it best to ignore his attitude for the time being, and takes out one of her many maps.

"It says here the treasure it's inside the temple" she points to the dilapidated building in which the ogres had been living. Its façade reminds Sachiko of a church, but its architecture is slightly different. "Beneath an altar there's a hidden chest, and within it… the gold and silver left by the priest!" she folds the map happily, walking towards the temple. The rest follow her, but Sachiko decides to stay. She feels strangely exhausted.

She sits down on the ground and sighs, looking up towards the sky and the white and puffy clouds. Today it's the tenth day since they left the academy, and the seventh place they visited in their hunting. Even though they are together in this, she can't help but feel like she's the only one doing something. Sure, Tabitha and Kirche are really good at magic; and powerful too, but their energy drains way too fast, so they can only fight for a short amount of time before having to resort to dot spells that aren't really effective unless they use them in great quantities. And she's not even going to start thinking about Guiche…

Really, using his Valkyries against a roaring pack of ogres? Those things are made of metal, sure, but still, their power isn't much, and they were easily dispatched off by the monsters before they rampaged against the three noble kids.

"It's a good thing I was at the other side…" she whispers, turning her head when she sees a figure approaching her to her left. It's Flame, Kirche's salamander. Sachiko smiles softly and pats him on the head. "And you too. Thank you for helping me out there. Lately, it seems you're the only one who does it" she sighs, before letting her body lay on the floor. She closes her eyes, trying to relax, but that soon turns out to be impossible.

Thoughts about Louis keep assaulting her mind. She wonders if he's worried about her for leaving the academy so suddenly, or if he's still mad at her for what happened with Shiro the other day. _Most probably the latter_ she thinks grimly.

She… misses him. She's surprised at this, since just a few days ago she wasn't even sure what she actually felt about him, but being away from him for so long has made her realize she misses his presence, the little things that came with their cohabitation. Despite his character, he is clean and polite and it's easy to forget he's even there, since he leaves her enough space for herself, but without making her feel alone. Almost like a cat, even though he's likely the one who thinks of her as a pet.

A sudden yell makes her open her eyes immediately. She sits up, just to see Kirche running towards her with a rather dusty collar in her hands. Once she's in front of her, she thrusts it into her face.

"Guess what we found in the chest" she says bitterly. Sachiko winces. Another fake…

* * *

"It's so unfair! Killing monsters it's not an easy job, and the only reward we get are these rusty trinkets! Really, why are we even trying anymore?" Guiche's sitting on a stump, his familiar at his side, gesturing angrily with his hands. Kirche rolls her eyes.

"It's not like you do much."

"I told you your maps were all a fake! Look where we are now, seven places and still not finding anything!"

"And I told you there may be a real one among them. We just have to keep trying" she responds, also in the same tone. Sachiko's lying a few feet away from them, her eyes closed. Certainly, even if she hates to admit it, she has to agree with Guiche. They put so much effort into defeating beast after beast, for what? Just to find nothing but dirt or useless trash at the end. She's growing tired of it.

Pursing her lips, she turns her head in the direction where she knows Shiro is. Sure enough, she can see him working with his hands with what looks to be today's dinner. Casting a last glance towards the other three, and making sure Guiche and Kirche are still arguing, and Tabitha is as indifferently reading as always, she stands up and makes her way towards him.

She probably shouldn't be doing this. They had been making good work of not touching the subject that seems to hang above their heads like a sword from a thin thread. She's still not sure how they had gone ten days without clarifying things between them, but she's grateful, because she can't still make sense of this feeling in her gut that tells her to wait because if she rushes into a relationship with Shiro, she might regret it.

This doesn't mean she doesn't like Shiro, because she does, and quite badly. Her feelings might not be love per se, but she thinks they're strong enough to pursue a relationship. Heck, she has seen a lot of her female classmates going out with boys feeling less. So why is she so reluctant? She's pretty sure Shiro likes her, but maybe that's the problem in the first place.

No one has ever liked her, not really. She doesn't know how to behave when it comes to this. She ruined it with Hiroshi, despite knowing a puppy crush in kindergarten isn't enough of a foundation to base her future relationships. She's scared she's going to ruin it with Shiro. But maybe she should give herself more credit. She's seventeen already, and to this point she feels she has made quite a good job at keeping Shiro's interest in her brimming.

But even with this explanation, she can still feel the discomfort rolling in her gut, painting its walls with slow and deliberate strokes. Shaking her head, she puts the disconcerting thoughts aside and promptly arrives at Shiro's side.

"What are you doing?" she asks lightly, smiling. Shiro raises an eyebrow at her, looking at her as if she's stupid, and she gulps. Ok, maybe another reason they have yet to talk it's because every time he tries to bring up the subject when they're alone, she runs away or conveniently has to speak with someone else or fetch something or… well.

"I'm cooking dinner" he gives the obvious answer before turning back to what he's doing. Sachiko can see him skinning a few rabbits, and she has to press her lips to keep the nausea from going up her throat. She bites one of her lips and sits down next to him.

"I meant, what are you preparing?"

"Yosenabe" he says without missing a beat and without caring to explain what exactly it is. If not because Sachiko already knows the dish, she would be offended. As it is, she can only look at the ground, once again confirming in her mind that Shiro is indeed a descendant of someone from her world, and not any someone, but someone from her own country.

She ponders her next question before opening her mouth. "I see. Is it a traditional dish from your village?"

"It is."

"Did you learn it from your great-grandfather?"

"My grandfather, actually, but he learned it from his father" he frowns, suddenly realizing something. "How do you know all that?"

"Oh, well… it's not a pretty common name for a dish, don't you think?" she says, shrugging, trying to act noncommittal. Shiro stares at her for a few seconds more, pursing his lips, before finally returning to the rabbits.

"I guess you're right. It's pretty obvious even if I don't say anything, right?"

"Mmm…" she twirls her thumbs, trying not to give herself away. She doesn't know if she should tell Shiro what she suspects. She could just omit the part of her coming from a different world, but she thinks he deserves to know at least that his great-grandfather was indeed from a land very, very far away. Deciding that she can at least share that part with him, she opens her mouth, but before she can say anything, he interrupts.

"Miss Sachiko" she tenses, knowing that tone of voice. He wants to talk about the kiss. Swallowing, she gives herself courage, deciding she won't run away anymore. She turns to look at him, finding that he's already staring at her, his eyes deep and serious.

"W-What is it?" she can't help but stutter. Shiro's right eyebrow twitches, and he huffs, shaking his head.

"Nothing, I'm about to finish with the rabbits, so I was wondering if you could help me making a fire, so I could start cooking the vegetables."

Sachiko's eyebrows rose in surprise. What was that? Did he not want to discuss the kiss with her anymore? She feels a sudden stab in her heart, but she quickly chides herself, telling it's what she deserves for avoiding the subject for so long. He's probably already tired of her. Biting her lips, she looks at a recipient a little farther away, where she can see a variety of vegetables and roots, already washed, waiting.

She nods as she stands up. "Ok… um, I actually don't know how to make a fire" she confesses with embarrassment. Shiro raises an eyebrow but thankfully doesn't say anything, instead sighing.

"Ok" it's all he says, making her feel incredibly useless.

"I can ask Kirche if you want. She's a fire mage, I bet she can do it in an instant" she turns her body in the direction she left the other three, but Shiro shakes his head again.

"Leave it. I rather not ask a noble to do my work for me. Besides, a natural fire it's best for this kind of thing. If I know anything about fire mages, she will make it too strong" he explains, leaving Sachiko once again with nothing. She kneels next to him again, because she doesn't feel she should argue with him about Kirche, and takes to stare at him.

He's good with his hands. Fast. Efficient. These past days, they had been eating like royalty. She would have never guessed a man could cook the way Shiro cooks. Her father burns the water, her uncle's abilities extended to reheating last night's dinner in the microwave, and the one time she saw Hiroshi trying to cook something for Rika, it was nothing but plain turkey sandwiches. The only thing he did was wash the lettuce and cut the tomatoes. Even she can do that.

But Shiro it's at a complete different level. She wonders if he learned in the academy or by necessity. Especially this thing with the rabbits. It's not the first time he hunts something on his own, using a simple trap to capture small animals or birds.

"Is this something you learned in your time in the military?" she can't help but ask. Shiro stops what he's doing, turning to look at her with an indecipherable expression. She feels flustered under his intense stare. "I mean, you know what roots and plants are edible just by looking at them, and you can set up traps and…" she gestures at his hands, implying how he can so easily skin and dispose the rabbits. Shiro looks at his hands again, before turning back to her.

"No… I learned all of this back in my village. We have to know these kinds of things because it's what we live from, we don't have other people to do the job for us" he says, referring to the nobles in the academy. Sachiko nods, feeling like she has offended him somehow, but he continues before she can apologize. "Everyone knows how to cook in my family. My grandfather taught me most of what I know. To be honest, I'm not as good as him yet" he says in an embarrassed tone, laughing lightly. Sachiko is intrigued. If Shiro's grandfather is better in the kitchen than him, she wants to meet him. Now.

"That's nice. My mother wanted to teach me how to cook once, but I gave up after failing the first time. She insisted that I learned, but I never paid much attention to that" she says, recalling the past. Although she wanted her tone to be light, even to her ears the melancholy it's pretty obvious in her words. There are many things she should have done. She will make sure to make all of them when she goes back to her world.

"That's not a good attitude. Failing is normal the first times if you don't know how to do something" Sachiko nods, not able to do anything else. Shiro bites his lip, affected by her gloomy visage. "If you want, I can teach you how to cook."

At this, Sachiko immediately perks up. "Oh, you don't need to…"

"It wouldn't be a problem for me, just as long as you promise to give it a try" his tone is teasing, making her blush. Sachiko nods enthusiastically.

"Ok! I promise!" with the air around them light once again, Shiro finally goes back to the rabbit that's taking him more time than usual to skin, while Sachiko looks at him, a few questions popping up in her mind after their little talk. She wonders if it would be alright to ask him, before shrugging. _He looks in a good mood now, and besides, I'm curious._ She decides to ask him. "Why did you leave the military?"

He tenses. It's almost imperceptible, just a small twitch in his shoulders and barely anything else, with his face and eyes remaining deceptively carefree. He hums, his eyes staying on the rabbit, his hands quickly and expertly making work of the skin and tendons. Sachiko isn't so sure about her question anymore, but it's too late to take it back.

"It's not like I wanted to be part of it in the first place. Besides, the academy pays its employees fairly well, without the constant pressure of fearing the next time you'll be deployed for battle."

Sachiko bites her lips, seeing as he tears off the meat of the rabbits from the bones, leaving the former in a recipient and the latter on the ground, next to the rock he's using as table. This is not an answer to her question. He's just diverting her attention, but she doesn't know if it would be polite to insist. Luckily for her, Shiro stops what he's doing and sighs, leaning with his hands a little forward, his bangs covering his eyes. Sachiko waits with bated breath.

"It simply wasn't my cup of tea, if you want an honest answer" he shakes his head, turning his face just slightly so his eyes can connect with Sachiko's. The way he looks at her from the corner of his eyes, with his hair falling just so over them, makes Sachiko's heart thump with force in her chest. Why does he have to look so attractive?

"If you didn't like it, then why work in it in the first place?" she manages to say after giving herself a few seconds to admire his beautiful countenance. Shiro shrugs, looking back at the rabbits but not moving his hands.

"It was seven years ago, Tristain was once again suffering from internal political struggles, nobles against nobles, the crown deciding not to interfere, just the usual stuff" Sachiko nods, even though she has no idea what he's referring about with _the usual stuff_. "The region of Tarbes was part of the conflict; and according to the seventy-sixth regulation of internal warfare, at least one male member of each family had to enroll in the fronts. My grandfather was too old, and my father had to be there for all of my younger siblings, so it was up to me, as the eldest, to take responsibility."

"Oh" she thinks for a little bit, a small frown between her brows as she makes counts in her head. "Wait, if it was seven years ago… how old were you?"

"I had just turned fifteen a few days before that."

Her mouth falls open. "T-That's…! You were just a child!" she exclaims, stunned. Shiro only frowns at her tone and surprise.

"Thirteen it's the minimal age required to join the military forces, for both commoners and nobles. At fifteen, I had enough age for society to expect me to make my own decisions and stick to them."

"Still…"

"How old does one have to be in your country to be considered an adult?" he asks with real curiosity, remembering Sachiko comes from a very different culture from his own.

"You need to be twenty to do the majority of things."

"Um" he considers this for a second, before shrugging. "I guess it's the same here in Halkeginia. The line between what makes a child and an adult it's not very clear, so it depends on every individual's perception. Generally speaking though, fifteen it's enough age for anyone to be considered old enough for the 'majority of things', as you said."

"I see" she bites her lips, realizing he diverted her attention from the topic again. "How did you reach the rank of Lieutenant?"

He makes a face. Sachiko is surprised he looks so unwilling to tell her this about him, since he's always so open with her. She would drop the subject, but it's already too late for that. She's curious, and if he doesn't ask her to stop questioning him, she won't. After a few more seconds, he sighs, getting back to work.

"It… was a little more complicated than just a clash of interests, in the end. Turns out one of the nobles was allied with Germanian forces. Long story short, what appeared to be nothing but a normal scuffle between nobles turned out to be much bigger than what any of us thought in the beginning. I somehow ended in the same team as this _idiot_ who was desperate to get the attention from the king and…" he sighs. "He got his attention, but not before dragging me in as well. We both got higher ranks and the chance to meet King Henry" he snorts. "For what the experience was worth, I guess."

"King Henry?"

"He's Princess Henrietta's father… _was_ Princess Henrietta's father."

"Ah" she looks at Shiro with big, curious eyes. Despite not elaborating in anything, the story sounds like an exciting one. She wants him to tell her about it in detail, but she has a feeling he kept things simple in purpose because he doesn't want to dwell on it more than he has to. While she's debating whether she should push his comfort zone a little more to sate her own curiosity, she hears Kirche calling her. Giving a frustrated sigh, she looks at Shiro apologetically.

"Go, I'm going to start cooking now, that won't take much longer" he finally discards the last rabbit's carcass and stands up. Sachiko pouts, seeing that he looks kinda relieved he doesn't have to keep telling her about his days in the military. She curses in her mind and stands up to go towards Kirche. She's kneeling on the ground, looking at a map and lightly biting her bottom lip in thought. Guiche looks bored at what she's doing, a leg crossed over the other. It looks like they finally stopped fighting.

"What is it?" she asks, sitting next to Guiche.

"Although I'm happy to promote young love whenever there's a chance, right now there's something important we need to discuss, so can you try keeping the flirting down for a little while?"

Sachiko blushes, both from embarrassment and anger.

"I wasn't flirting!"

"Yeah, yeah, my point is, while we're all here, why don't we decide the next place we should go?"

Guiche gives an exasperated sigh. "Again? We've gotten nothing until now, why don't we just get back to the academy? I'm getting tired of all this" he says, scowling. Sachiko nods.

"I hate to say this, but Guiche's right. We should probably just give up." Kirche looks at them with a frown and stands up, hands on her hips.

"Really? You're giving up? Come on, I told you we might find something real if we just keep-"

"Kirche, we're tired, and besides, I'm sure the more we lose our time here, the worst our punishment will be when we get back to the academy. Just… let's drop this, ok?" Guiche says; his voice more weary now. Upon hearing him talk like that, she sighs and sits down again.

"I understand what you're saying. Alright, let's go back, but after just this one more map, ok? The last time's the charm."

"Wasn't it the third?"

"Whatever, so, are you in?" she asks, holding up the map. Guiche and Sachiko exchange indecisive glances, before the latter sighs in resignation.

"Alright, but this is the last, right?"

"Yes, I promise" she extends the map on the ground, and reads it with narrowed eyes. "This one looks interesting. The next treasure is supposedly in a little town called Tarbes. It is called 'The Dragon's Ra-"

"The Dragon's Raiment?" Sachiko interrupts her, much to everyone's surprise.

Kirche stares at her dumbfounded. "Do you know about it?"

"Well…" she looks sheepishly in Shiro's direction. "Shiro is from Tarbes. He… told me once about this 'Dragon's Raiment'" she confesses. Guiche blinks, looking at the man too, who is preparing a fire to start cooking dinner, while Kirche has a big smile on her face.

"Then that means this map it's not a hoax! Alright, we're going to Tarbes first thing tomorrow!" she says enthusiastically.

"Would it be a good idea? I mean" Guiche leans back, his hands resting on the edges of the stump behind him; "don't you want to consult with that servant first? It's a treasure from his hometown. He surely has information about it, and if it's worth going all the way there to retrieve it or not."

"I actually would like to go to Tarbes" Sachiko says, scratching the back of her neck. "How do I say it? I've been interested in this Dragon's Raiment ever since Shiro told me about it" ever since Colbert told her about it, but they don't need to know that. "I'll talk with Shiro after dinner, or maybe during. He could at least agree to show it to us; after all, it belonged to his great-grandfather."

"If it's a family heirloom our chances of taking it home with us are a lot lower" Kirche comments, her mood souring; "in that case, let's go see something else, and you can ask your boyfriend to show it to you later. Let's not waste our last try with something we cannot keep."

"I want to go" Sachiko says a little more firmly. Sure, she was hoping to go with Colbert, since he's the one with the information, besides, his presence would be reassuring, but if she has the chance to do it she won't pass it up. She's lost enough time as it is, and getting treasure wasn't her primary motivation when coming to this journey, anyway.

Kirche huffs, clearly unhappy, but says nothing when Sachiko doesn't back off. "Fine, to Tarbes it is. Tell your boyfriend we'll be visiting his hometown, I'm sure he'll like to know that."

"He's not my boyfriend…"

"And whose fault that is?" Sachiko purses her lips, unable to come up with a retort. She decides to keep quiet and wait for dinner to be ready, while her mind runs itself ragged with Kirche's words. She will do something about it, and she will also find the source of her discomfort.

* * *

"So basically your great-grandfather was crazy, right?"

Sachiko winces at the bluntness of Kirche's question. They're on their way to Tarbes, atop Sylphid. Las night, when Sachiko commented the next place they were going treasure hunting was Tarbes, Shiro had been really surprised. She thought for a moment he might get offended his great-grandfather's treasure was being promoted in a map for adventurers to try and get, but he had been simply curious, if not a little astounded there were people outside his village that knew of it.

Kirche and Guiche asked a few questions, and Shiro roughly described the form and size of the dragon's raiment, and its purpose. Needless to say, if they had not been excited about going to Tarbes before, they were even less after what Shiro told them. Regardless, the journey was still for Sachiko's benefit, and she wanted to go, so go they did.

It was just half an hour after mounting Sylphid that Kirche, displaying an amount of curiosity that could rival Sachiko's, asked for more details about Shiro's great-grandfather and how he ever came to possess this thing they were going to see. Cue the question above.

"Kirche, don't be so rude" Sachiko chides the redhead, turning to look at her with a pointed gaze. The other girl shrugs, showing with this gesture that she doesn't understand what the big deal is.

"I am not being rude. I am just curious. How come he can say he comes from a different world? If the man wanted to lie about where he came from, he could have chosen a million different, more _feasible_ options, that's all I'm saying."

"Kirche…"

"It's alright Sachiko, is difficult not to think like that when you listen to this kind of thing. But regardless of what he claimed, he was a really good man, loved by everyone. A few lapses in rationality didn't take that away from him."

Sachiko presses her lips in a thin line, surprised Shiro seems so nonchalant about it. Wasn't it just a few weeks ago he got angry at her for playfully saying her grandfather was weird? And here was Kirche outright being rude and he didn't seem to care. _Why the difference?_ She thinks with a frown, looking at the two of them interact. _Is it because Kirche is more beautiful?_ A jab of jealousy stabs her in the chest, along with insecurity. She glances down to her lap, wriggling her thumbs.

"I can already see the village!" Guiche exclaims, leaning forward and pointing with his finger to the distance. Sachiko raises her eyes and moves her head to the side so she can see it too.

From the distance, Tarbes doesn't look very big or splendorous. Sachiko has never been in a small town, always travelling to big cities, but she can tell the name village might be a little underrated for what she sees. There's a central street that divides the whole town, starting from the entrance and finishing in a round plaza that gives way to a church. Around this plaza, many small businesses with their awnings mark what looks like a miniature market.

On the sides, many lateral, smaller streets part, with houses with roofs of soft red. A few other buildings stand up because of their special markings. She thinks she can see a clinic and even a school a little farther away from midtown. Outside the town, there are more houses, along with their respective barns, further separated from each other and fields of wheat and barley. All in all, Sachiko thinks Tarbes has a certain charm she wouldn't mind to enjoy more thoroughly.

"So cute!" Kirche exclaims, leaning her weight on top of Sachiko, making her yelp at the sudden pressure on her back. "Small town with a _very_ light touch of urbanization, but once you get past that it looks kinda boring. No wonder you left it in the first place" she grins at Shiro, who simply shrugs, once again giving Sachiko that sense of inadequacy.

The moment they land, the townspeople are justifiable scared, but that changes to shock when they see Shiro descend from the dragon and presenting his companions as nobles from the academy. Sachiko is lost for a moment, watching him interact with the villagers and exchanging greetings. It's nice seeing him in a more familial ambiance, without the presence of students or the pressure of work on his shoulders.

Despite the villagers' excitement at having noble guests in their village, Shiro manages to give a quick explanation and directly guides them out of town, towards a small shed in the outskirts, relatively close to his own house, he explains. Sachiko gulps, knowing the time has come to confirm her suspicions. When Shiro opens the doors to the shed, she lets him and the other three enter first, before taking a big breath and following inside.

She knew what was coming, but nothing could have prepared her for what she found on the other side.

"What is this thing?" Kirche steps closer, examining the weird machinery with curious eyes. Guiche follows her, putting a hand on the carcass.

"It is made of metal. I don't know which one exactly, probably an alloy, considering I can detect different substances, but I can't be sure. This thing's really weird…" he says, furrowing his brow in thought.

Meanwhile, Sachiko is simply staring at the object with wide eyes, her heart beating so fast she can hear it in her ears. She slowly approaches the Dragon's Raiment… the airplane, and delicately puts a hand on it. The runes in her left hand glow; accompanied by the swelling of her chest and throat, and she closes her eyes, feeling how information floods her mind. She can't even think of how strange of a sensation it is. She's feeling too much at the moment. "A Zero Fighter" she murmurs. Everyone around her perk their ears at the sound of her voice. "An aircraft used in my country in the past…" tears fall from her eyes, but she doesn't even realize it. Shiro puts a hand on her shoulder, and she immediately snaps back to reality. She turns to him.

"Miss Sachiko, why are you crying? If I did something to bother you, just t-"

"No" she says briskly, shaking her head. "Not at all, just… you see…" she dries her eyes, suddenly feeling silly for letting her emotions show so easily, "I feel so nostalgic. This _is_ an airplane" she gestures with her hand at said object. Shiro looks at it immediately, and Sachiko addresses the rest of the people on the shed. "It's used in my country to travel to faraway places. Your great-grandfather, he… he came from the same country as me" she explains, making Shiro's eyes open like saucers. Even Tabitha looks slightly surprised.

Guiche raises an eyebrow and speaks as soon as she finishes talking. "Heh, see? He wasn't from a different world after all" he clicks his tongue and looks back to the airplane. "So this thing really flies? How? It's so heavy, and the wings can't even move" he frowns; "for me it looks more like some sort of canoe" he declares, folding his arms. It's obvious he doesn't believe Sachiko one bit.

Sachiko pays him no mind, and instead, looks at Shiro with a determined face. "Did your great-grandfather leave anything else?" she asks, serious.

"Well…" the boy thinks for a moment "a few of his belongings, and his grave, but nothing too important."

"Can you show them to me?" she asks politely. Shiro nods, and guides her to the graveyard, leaving Guiche, Kirche and Tabitha behind to deal with the curious villagers. Among pure white tombstones a single black stands up even from afar. Sachiko kneels in front of it, and is surprised to see the inscription it's written in her native tongue.

"My great-grandfather made this tombstone himself. He wrote it in his country's language, so nobody has been able to read it. Perhaps… I mean; maybe you could…"

"It says: 'Navy ensign Sasaki Takeo; rests in another world'" she reads out loud. Shiro blinks.

"You… so my great-grandfather really…" he's shocked, as if he is just now believing what Sachiko told him before. He looks at her again, piecing the pieces of the puzzle, and Sachiko can see the question in his eyes without him saying it out loud: _Was my grandfather really from Rub' al Khali, just like you?_ She stands up, heaving a deep sigh.

"You know, you always gave me this feeling… this nostalgic feeling, and I can see now why. Your hair, your features… are like your grandfather's, right?" she looks at him feverishly, making him blush.

"Y-yes" he gazes away "people always tell me I have his look…"

Sachiko nods. She can't believe she hasn't seen it before. Shiro. That's a Japanese name. Sasaki Shiro. She suddenly feels like crying, so many emotions running through her, but she doesn't let them take control of her. She closes her eyes, trying to calm herself, and then turns to Shiro.

"I still want to see what else he left, if you don't mind" she whispers with a controlled smile.

* * *

Despite arriving very early in the morning, they decided to rest and spend the night in the village. Shiro's family received them warmly in their house, preparing especial rooms for the nobles. Because it was rare for mages to visit their village, a lot of people congregated outside the house, and even the town chief came to greet them. Shiro presented Sachiko to his family, and all of them seemed to like her a lot, for which she was glad.

She steps outside once dinner it's over. She needs fresh air after being trapped for so long in that house full of people. Shiro is the eldest from eight siblings, and along with his parents, that makes them a family of ten, all living in the same house, now housing four more people. Sachiko had never seen a family so big.

She inhales deeply, looking up at the sky. The moons are shining brightly again, illuminating the tall grass and trees around her, giving her surroundings an ethereal silver glow. She feels melancholic, the events of the day weighting down on her. From the moment they stepped inside the shed housing the Zero Fighter, to the dinner, where she was able to see Shiro interact with his family, play with his siblings, see them act like they belonged together, like nothing could ever separate them…

She bites her lips, blinking hard. She cannot help but think about her home, about her parents. Almost two months have passed since she arrived in this world, but she can't be sure how much it has been in her own. Time seems to pass slower here, or at least it seemed to, before she got used to the rhythm of this place. What are they doing right now? Are they thinking of her? The thought of making them worry so much makes her stomach fell all knotted.

She wants to go home, and it surprises her the intensity of the feeling in this moment. It's not the first time she has this thought. She has been drilling Louis to find a way back practically since she arrived here, but at times it feels more like routine, like knowing what she has to feel and want and so does it automatically. But this feeling, in this moment, has nothing to do with that. It's stronger, and she can't help it.

She misses her parents, she misses her school, and she even misses her part time job's intolerable boss. The city at night, its tall buildings made of crystal, reflecting the sun's rays, the crowd of people during rush hour in the train…

Almost unconsciously, tears stream down her cheeks. She sobs, feebly at first, gaining intensity the more she thinks about her home. And it hurts. It hurts so much knowing she can't be with her parents; that they must be worried sick about her and she can't do anything about it. It hurts waking up every day just to realize she's still trapped in this weird world. It hurts to know she hasn't eat her mother's food for almost two months, and that she probably won't for who knows how much longer.

She cries; her knees bucking until her shins rest on the ground, her face covered with her hands. She isn't sobbing loudly; she's trying really hard to contain herself and this sudden burst of melancholia that assaulted her. When she feels a hand resting on her left shoulder, she jumps and looks up immediately; only to see Shiro's concerned expression right next to her. She tries to hide her face, but Shiro stops her, and kneels to be at her eye level.

"Miss Sachiko, what's wrong?" he asks, lifting her chin with his fingers so she would look at him. She does it reluctantly, and blinks, the tears preventing her from seeing his face clearly. She clears her throat and gazes away bashfully.

"Nothing" she responds in a whisper. Shiro furrows his brow, knowing it isn't 'nothing', but before he can utter a word, she continues. "I was just thinking about my family back home… about how much I miss them…" she tightly closes her eyes, really hating how weak she is at that moment. She can't even think about them without crying, how pathetic…

"That's right, you haven't seen them in a long time" Shiro bites his lip thoughtfully, before taking out a little notebook from his pocket. Sachiko eyes the object curiously, still sniffling lightly. "I… wouldn't know what to do if I were in your situation. Not being able to see my family is…" he shakes his head, trying to ignore the thought. "But please don't be sad. I'm sure you'll see them again, after all, if there's a way to get here there's also a way back" he smiles softly. Sachiko sighs.

"You really think so? I was summoned here, after all, so the way back…"

"But my great-grandfather was from the same country as you, right? And he came here without being summoned, simply with his… 'airplane'" he says, opening the notebook in a determined page. Sachiko looks at him, interested, and he points to some words written in that strange language she can't read. "My grandfather didn't have a diary or journal, but he left a will. In it he says that whoever can read the inscription in his tombstone can keep the Dragon's Raiment."

"So…" Sachiko says slowly, her eyes widening. Shiro nods, a smile plastered on his face.

"So that means the airplane is yours. If we can find a way to make it fly again, then you'll be able to go back home" he says excitedly. Sachiko blinks.

"It's mine… the Dragon's Raiment…" it's almost too good to be true. Ideas about how to make it functional again start attacking her mind. She can know everything about the airplane with just a touch; she would be able to repair it if it's broken. She smiles, and in a rapid and unexpected motion, wraps her arms around Shiro's neck, hugging him with all her enthusiasm.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" she exclaims, giggling all the while. Shiro is taken aback by the sudden action, but rapidly envelopes her in a hug as well, happy to see her happy.

They remain that way for a good five minutes before they finally decide to let go. Sachiko is still smiling, excited to know there is a way she can go back home. If Shiro's great-grandfather came from the east, she will go to the east. Perhaps there is something there that would give a clue as to how he even got to this world.

"Then, Miss Sachiko-"

"Shiro, please, just call me Sachiko" she pleads, her eyes shining brightly. Shiro chuckles.

"Alright, then Sachiko, once we can make the Dragon's Raiment fly again, I was wondering…" he looks to the ground, seemingly bashful to ask what he wants to know. Sachiko eyes him expectantly, and with a sigh, he continues. "I was wondering if I could go with you. I mean, I'll… like to know the place where you and my great-grandfather were born" he looks at her timidly, making Sachiko freeze.

The place they were born? That's… a bit difficult. Firstly, because he thinks she is from Rub' al Khali when in reality her country is much, much faraway… and second because… she can't simply take him to another world, can she? That doesn't even sound plausible.

"Sachiko?" Shiro's voice wake her up from her thoughts, and she blinks, seemingly surprised. The young man is staring at her curiously. Sachiko gulps, gazing away. What should she tell him? The truth? Or should she invent something? She can't think of any believable lie to justify the fact that he can't accompany her in her trek to the east, at least not at the moment. She bits her lower lip, her mind racing, and when Shiro calls her name for a second time, she's decided. She will tell him the truth. After all, she can trust him… right?

 _Of course I can trust him! The problem is: will he believe me?_ She sighs. Well, it's not like he has never heard someone claiming to be from a different world. Maybe it will even make him happy to know his great-grandfather was telling the truth. With a determined expression, she looks at him.

"I… told you I was from Rub' al Khali, remember?" she starts, fidgeting slightly. Shiro nods, prompting her to continue. "Well, that's not true, actually, it's just a lie Louis said so nobody would… I don't know, think we were crazy or something" she shrugs. Shiro furrows his brow, confused.

"You mean you're not from Rub' al Khali? Then my great-grandfather…"

"Here is when it becomes strange, but before I tell you, you have to know that everything I'm saying is the truth. I know it sounds like a lie or that I'm messing with you, but I'm not. I wouldn't joke about something like this. Besides, you should know that your gr-"

"Sachiko, can you get to the point?" he interrupts her, not impolitely, but a bit frustrated. Sachiko blushes, scratching her neck embarrassedly.

"Em, yes, you're right" she takes a deep breath, and without looking at him, says: "Your great-grandfather wasn't lying. He was from a different world, the same world as me. We came… well, I was summoned by Louis, that's how I arrived here, but I'm not sure how your great-grandfather did it. I guess the answer might be in the east, considering he came from there. Although I haven't heard of anyone else saying they come from a different world. Maybe there are more people like us? It would be interesting if I could actually find someone and-"

"Wait" Shiro stops her rambling, raising a hand. "Did you just… did you just say you come from a different world?" he looks at her with incredulity. Sachiko nods, starting to feel insecure about this. "And that my great-grandfather wasn't lying…" she nods again. "So, just to get this straight, when you say a different world, you're not only saying nowhere here in Halkeginia, but nowhere here in… here?" another nod. "That's just…" he looks away, frowning deeply. Sachiko can only play with her fingers as she waits; her heart in her throat. "Um…"

"I'm not lying" she says again, desperately hoping he will believe her. He looks at her, analyzing her expression, her body language _, everything_.

He finally sighs. "I believe you."

"R-Really?"

"Yes, I mean, I can't see a reason you would be lying, besides…" he shrugs, probably referring to his great-grandfather without saying it out loud. Sachiko lets out a laugh along with her nerves, happy he seems to believe her. "Then… it's more difficult to find a way for you to return, right?" he says softly. Sachiko nods, her expression changing to a melancholic one once again. "But I still believe what I said. If there's a way to get here there's also a way to go back. We just… have to look for it" Sachiko blinks, but after a few seconds, her expression softens. She smiles.

"Yeah, you're right."

"So, in this moment, you have to look for a way back to your world, hmm, that reminds me, there was something else written in the notebook."

"Yes?" she asks curiously.

"My great-grandfather asked that whoever got the airplane please saw to give it back to the emperor. I guess he was talking about the emperor of your country."

Sachiko nods. "Yes, of course, um…" _I don't want to give back the airplane…_

"So" he says again after a small pause, catching Sachiko's attention again. "Now that we are here, do you want to see the field I told you about?" he asks enthusiastically. Sachiko smiles.

"I'd love too."

The young man smiles and guides her towards the edge of the village. It's breathtaking, to say the least. The tall grass dances with the wind, thousands of flowers accompanying the movement. Under the light of the moons everything looks silver, shining faintly for various miles, ending abruptly at the feet of the forest. Sachiko gasps, her heart making flip flops at the incredible sensation it gives her.

"It's gorgeous."

"I knew you'd like it" Sachiko stares at his calm expression, as he looks out to the field. She closes a fist in front of her chest, her eyes going half-lidded. Today has been a long day, but Shiro had been there for her at the end of it, lifting her spirits and making her smile, while she has done nothing to return the feeling. She feels bad, the resolution she took the night before along with Kirche's words resonating again in her mind. She swallows, turning her body towards him.

"Shiro, I…" he looks at her after hearing his name, and his eyes on her freeze her on the spot, her mouth hanging open, useless. She gulps, taking courage again; "why didn't you get angry with Kirche when she said that about your grandfather?" and asks something completely unrelated. She wants to hit herself.

"Because I don't care what Miss Zerbst thinks of me or my family" but his answer is quick enough to make her face explode in color. Her eyes open wide, and Shiro only gives her an ironic smile. "I got angry with you because I care about what you think, but honestly, I can't care less about Miss Zerbst's thoughts."

"B-But… she's beautiful, and… I thought…"

"I think there's someone more beautiful than her" ok, she's starting to hyperventilate. Wasn't she supposed to tell Shiro she liked him? Why is she stalling like this? "Sachiko" Shiro sighs, before taking her hand, at once halting all her thought processes. She looks at Shiro like a deer in headlights. "I was talking with my father… told him about you coming from the same country as my great-grandfather… I'm not really a superstitious person or anything, but when he said it was probably destiny what brought you here, with us, _to me_ , well… not to sound pessimistic or anything, but if you; for some reason cannot go back to your world, you can always…"

He's interrupted the moment Sachiko's lips crash with his. The kiss is clumsy and she's a little forceful, but the meaning is clear. Shiro is taken aback for a moment, but he quickly dismisses any doubt and circles her waist with his arms, bringing her closer to him. The moment he's about to kiss her back though, Sachiko suddenly pulls away from him, but luckily not from his embrace.

"I-I like you Shiro; and I'm sorry I didn't say anything during these past two weeks, but I-I…"

"Ok" he doesn't let her continue, kissing her again and effectively shutting her up. Sachiko's eyes widen for a moment, but she's rapidly soothed, resting her hands on his chest and letting him guide her, her eyes closing of their own accord.

She's not aware that, in the middle of the kiss and in the deepest part of her mind, there's a part of her that wonders what Louis would think of this.

* * *

 **A/N: Way to ruin the sappy ending with that last sentence, no? Have I mentioned Saito's my favorite character from FOZ? No? Well, now you know it, and don't ask me why, I don't even know myself. That first part was because I've always been annoyed the author didn't show more of Saito's past in the original novels, so I plan to include a Sachiko arc sometime in the future with the ideas I had for Saito. I'm just preparing the terrain in the meantime. It's not going to be anything out of the ordinary though, despite what it might look like at first.**

 **With Shiro, I actually have a whole background story about him that I won't include here, _maybe_ if I feel like it I will write it someday as a different story, I did spent a lot of time investigating about XVI's century warfare to make it. By the way, I _hate_ writing romantic scenes. I am a romantic, I love watching and reading romance, but when _I_ do it, it always makes me feel disgusted with myself. Did I make Sachiko too emotional in this chapter? Dind't include Louis in this one because there's going to be a lot of focus on him in the next chapter, which is, by they way, the last of this arc.**

 **See you in the next chapter!**


	19. Chapter 18: Showdown at Tarbes

**.**

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 18: Showdown at Tarbes**

 **...**

Leaving Tarbes the next morning proved to be a very uncomfortable business, at least for Sachiko.

Her relationship with Shiro is officially on the next level. They're a couple. Boyfriend and girlfriend. Sachiko knows she should be happy, and she is, but she has a feeling in her chest that prevents her from being a hundred percent satisfied with how things turned out.

Before their departure, Shiro told her he was going to stay in Tarbes until the end of the holidays, and gave her a letter he wrote to Marteau to inform him of this. That would have been fine, if not because, just before mounting Sylphid, he gave her a goodbye kiss, right in front of the whole damn village. Catcalls and hoots didn't wait to be heard, but Sachiko could barely make them out because of the rush of blood to her ears. She barely listened to Kirche and Guiche's teases throughout the trek, instead her mind running itself dry with worry.

She is, after all, a person from a different world, while Shiro already has an established life here, in Halkeginia, with family, friends and a job. While it's not like she thinks she will marry Shiro someday (they are too young and he is her first boyfriend), it's impossible for her to be with someone without thinking about their future together. And with Shiro the future looks so uncertain.

Well, maybe she shouldn't think about this now. They just begun their relationship, and there's still plenty of time to decide what will happen afterwards. Maybe they won't even work out, or maybe by then she would decide she likes her life here, or Shiro will accompany her to her world. Nobody knows and Sachiko prefers to keep the thought for later, when everything is settled and she has no other option but to make a decision.

 _I wonder how I'm going to break the news to Louis_ she finds herself wondering, before quickly shaking her head and reprimanding herself. Louis doesn't matter in all of this. He fired her, and as far as she's concerned, her intimate relationships have nothing to do with him. He wouldn't even care if he knew, she thinks sadly, although she doesn't understand why she feels that way. Maybe because, despite everything, she still cares about him and it still hurts he got rid of her so easily? Because she's the only one who considered they had something akin to friendship? She doesn't want to think about it. Pondering on it just makes her feel sadder.

The academy is coming into view, and Sachiko looks behind her, to the two dragons carrying the airplane, transporting it with the help of a giant net. If it was up to her, she would have left the airplane in Tarbes, heck, _she_ would have stayed in Tarbes, but Mr. Colbert is in the academy, and she knows it'll be easier for him to work on it with his laboratory close by. Guiche helped with that, contacting a few of his father's acquaintances and making the feat easier.

She didn't count with Guiche's solidarity extending only so far as soon as they set foot inside the academy though.

"Come on Guiche! You know I don't have any money!" Sachiko complains, looking at the tall blond boy with plead in her eyes. It's embarrassing having to ask this guy for anything, but what else can she do now?

Guiche narrows his eyes. "I don't have to pay for anything. You wanted to bring that thing here despite knowing it has no use for us. I already did my part."

"I promise I'll pay you back… eventually" she whispers, gazing away. He snorts, folding his arms.

"It's your canoe; you have to take responsibility for it!"

"It's not a canoe, it's an airplane! And I will, but you can't expect me to produce money out of thin air, can you?"

"If it's ok with you, I will pay" a voice says from behind them. Sachiko turns around, seeing Mr. Colbert standing there, not looking at them but at the airplane with big, curious eyes. Although she wanted to show him the airplane as soon as possible, his desire to pay for her makes her embarrassed.

"You don't have to do it, Mr. Colbert…"

"Please allow me to. I imagine you want to talk to me about this… thing, anyway, no?" Sachiko nods, and once he has paid, he turns to look at her. But not before catching three figures discreetly trying to get away. "You three, stop at once" Guiche and Kirche cringe at being caught. Tabitha doesn't change her expression. "The principal wants to talk to you about your punishment for skipping classes. He's waiting in his office."

"What about Sachiko? She has been gone from the academy as well" Guiche asks in a pleading tone.

"Miss Sachiko is not a student, neither a servant. She's Mr. Vallière's familiar, so the responsibility falls completely onto him. Now stop wasting time and leave."

They walk with their heads low, and Sachiko feels just a tiny bit sorry for them. Not much though, they travelled with her knowing fully well the consequences of abandoning the academy for so many days. Once they're out of their sight, Mr. Colbert looks at her, and Sachiko quickly begins to explain.

"Remember that time, when I talked to you about my world?"

"Yes, of course" he follows her as she searches around the airplane, finally finding what she's looking for.

"One of the things I told you about it's the airplane, this…"

"Is one?" he interrupts, his voice shifting with excitement. Sachiko nods.

"I went to Tarbes, and it turns out what you told me was true. There was someone from my world in that village, and they came using this airplane" she palms the object a few times, affectionately. "I already checked it and it seems to be in perfect state, however, I can't use it."

"And you want me to help you with that" he says, already assuming why she brought it with her to the academy. Sachiko nods again, opening a small compartment on the side of the airplane and presenting it to him.

"What the airplane needs to function again is gasoline. Remember the engine you showed me the other day? It's something like that."

"Um" he leans in, smelling the contents. "Whatever it is, it's very flammable" he says, taking out a small tube from a pocket and collecting a bit of the substance that was left behind on the bottom.

" _Very_ flammable, so I would recommend not letting any spark close to it. This quantity shouldn't be dangerous, but still…"

"You never know" Sachiko nods. "Well, with this sample I should be able to make more with alchemy. Are you sure we can make this 'airplane' work again with this 'gasoline'?"

"Yes, absolutely."

"Great. In that case, I better start working right now!" he puts away the tube and begins walking back to his laboratory, but Sachiko stops him before he goes far. "Yes, Sachiko?"

"About the money…" she starts, gazing away and blushing slightly. Colbert, foreseeing where this conversation is going, quickly shakes his head.

"You don't need to worry about that, Sachiko. You're giving me the opportunity to investigate about this airplane of yours, so it's only natural I would pay for its transport."

"Still, I should…"

"I will pay for it" another voice interrupts, one Sachiko hasn't heard in three weeks, if not a little more. She turns to look at Louis, who is walking towards them with long, awfully confident strides, but his frown betrays another darker, not so nice emotion. She unconsciously takes a step back and gulps.

He stops in front of them, but at a distance, around a meter back.

"Like I was telling Sachiko, Mr. Vallière, I…"

"She's my familiar, please let me take care of her expenses" Louis insists. At this, Colbert doesn't seem to have anything else to argue, and with a shrug, says goodbye to Sachiko and continues towards his laboratory. Sachiko stays behind, even though she would rather accompany the other man. But she can't. This is the moment the two of them had been waiting for almost a month.

Time for explanations.

"So you're back" Louis begins, his eyes boring on her in a way that makes Sachiko feel bashful. She turns her head around, looking for a way to avoid his intense gaze.

"I am" she responds in the same tone.

"That thing there…" he gestures with a hand towards the airplane.

"Ah, it's a long story. It's actually… from my world…"

"Really?" he looks skeptical, but gives another glance to it. Sachiko nods. "You went looking for this with Kirche and company?"

"Um, not really, it was more like a coincidence…"

"Ah."

A silence starts between them but before it can become suffocating, Sachiko sighs. "I am not your familiar anymore, so you don't have to…"

"Don't be ridiculous. There's no way you can stop being my familiar."

Sachiko frowns. "That's not what you said three weeks ago."

"I was angry and let my emotions take the better of me. The point is, as long as you are in this world, you are still my familiar. Now let's go back to our room" he turns around, but instead of walking, waits for her. He doesn't look surprised when she doesn't approach, and sighs. "Alright, what do you want?"

At this the girl raises her eyebrows, genuinely taken aback. "What do _I_ want? Shouldn't you be asking that to yourself? You threw me out of your life and now you want me to get back in, just _like that_?"

"My question remains the same."

"Louis, it's been _three weeks_. Why didn't you talk to me sooner?"

"Of which two you were away. How do you want me to talk to you when you're not here?"

"I was here, before I decided to leave because you obviously weren't coming to look for me."

"But I am here now, no?" she gives him a look, and he rolls his eyes. "Fine, I get it, you want an explanation, right?"

"That would be nice, yes."

"Then explain something to me first, what were you doing with that servant in my room?" he counters, crossing his arms and glaring at her. His question makes Sachiko frown in confusion.

"What you ask… we were kissing, I thought it was pretty obvious" Louis narrows his eyes, resisting the urge to walk up to her and shake her so she would start saying something intelligent.

" _Why_?"

She blushes. Her eyes dart to the side, avoiding his. "N-None of your business."

His fists clench at his sides, and the gnashing of teeth is almost audible. "It _is_ my business, first, because you did it in my room, and second, because you are my familiar. You didn't even inform me you were leaving the academy. How can you be so irresponsible not to…?"

"Oh, can't you shut up already? Louis, you _fired_ me, remember?!" her calm demeanor it's slowly disappearing, being replaced by irritation, the same that's increasing on the other boy at her tone. "If you're angry because it happened in your room, then fine, I'll apologize! But don't make this thing only about me! The kiss was completely unplanned, but _you_ blew it out of proportion and kicked me out! Do you know how I felt, once I knew I was alone? Can you make yourself an idea?" her eyes are blurry, her body tense. Louis doesn't say anything, and that makes her feel worse. "You really don't know…"

"I tried… to look for you days later, but you were gone so…" he tries to justify his actions, but Sachiko shakes her head. "Ugh, I told you already, I was angry! What's so difficult to understand about that?!"

"I waited for you Louis; I waited for you for _days_. If firing me was only a reaction of the moment I would have understand it, but even days later you didn't go back for me. So I think the only one who has to explain anything here it's you" the look she gives him makes him feel ashamed. He looks away, not wanting to feel judged under those dark eyes. "Why did it bother you that I kissed Shiro so much?"

As if he's going to tell her. He bites his lips, running his brain ragged for a suitable answer, but nothing comes to mind. Sachiko waits, her patience starting to run thin.

"Louis, you…"

"It's not him… specifically…" he begins uncertainly. Sachiko looks at him, making him nervous. "You are my familiar so you can't… _play_ with someone else… that's not… you're not allowed…"

"…I hope for your own good you're not being serious…"

"I'll kill you."

She frowns, looking back at the airplane. "You know, I don't _belong_ to you…"

"Yes you do, or have you forgotten about the runes?"

"You mean this thing?" she raises her left hand, the runes in display. She snorts. "If I remember correctly, none of us actually wanted this."

"But we can't do anything about it now, so until you can go back to your home, you're stuck with me, whether we like it or not" he says forcibly, hard, only making Sachiko feel even more defensive.

"Don't treat me like property."

"I'm not! Just…!" he closes his eyes, forcing himself to calm down. He's not going anywhere like this. He inhales, exhales, before finally looking back at her. "I am your master, I… shouldn't have let you alone, true, and I took more time than I should have to go look for you, so for that, I… I…!" he's clenching his fists and squaring his jaw as if only _thinking_ the words it's painful. Sachiko can't help but find it amusing, just a little.

"Relax, you look like you're pulling off teeth" she says, trying to ease the boy, but getting the opposite result. He snarls at her, but Sachiko is starting to know him, so she's not impressed.

"Look, you have nowhere to go, right?"

"Actually I do-"

"And" he continues, not listening to her; "you can't stay in a tent indefinitely or live out of others forever. Why don't you just come back? The two of us committed mistakes, so let's keep that in the past and continue like we always do, ok?"

 _No_ she thinks, furrowing her brow with anger. Is it so difficult for him to say sorry? She apologized, accepted her part of blame. _He's so prideful_. She sighs, before looking at the airplane again. She doesn't know how long it will take for Mr. Colbert to produce gasoline, and even when that's done; she still has to prepare a course of action. Louis is right; she can't live out of others indefinitely. _Besides, it's not like he's not regretful_. At least she thinks so. Just because he doesn't say the words it doesn't mean he's not sincere. And he's right on some level; she _did_ leave without giving him the opportunity to seek her out later.

So, with a deep sigh, she nods, before following him. Louis looks surprised, but he doesn't question her and turns around. In the silence that ensues, Sachiko can conclude one thing out of this exchange.

She definitely won't tell Louis about her relationship with Shiro. If he reacted like that only because of a kiss, she doesn't want to imagine what he'll do if he ever finds out the two are together.

* * *

Seeing her standing there, smiling so easily with Mr. Colbert after three weeks of not seeing her at all made him furious. It was enough to override the joy at knowing her back and the longing because yes, he missed her, terribly, and she probably didn't even think about him at all. Not with that servant with her.

He wanted to be angry when he went to look for her only to find out she was gone, but knowing she didn't leave alone with that servant and that Kirche was with them managed to calm him down considerably. If the redhead was the one of the idea, which he was almost certain she was, then he didn't need to worry so much about Sachiko leaving for good.

Instead, he used the following two weeks to think. He came to the conclusion Kirche was right and he needed to apologize, but it was easier said than done. He did not have a justification for his actions that didn't get him in a compromising situation, so he didn't give any, and surprisingly Sachiko seemed to be fine with that, if not a little frustrated.

He wants to ask so badly what happened with that servant and where is he, but he holds his tongue, keeping in mind he shouldn't meddle with her life any more than necessary. It's because he couldn't separate his duty as master and his feelings as a man that the two fought like that, and he doesn't want a repeat of that, despite the fact the wondering is eating him alive.

He's not a fool and he knows they are still on shaky grounds, but for the moment she's following him, and that should be enough. With time they can solve everything or better yet, forget this incident ever happened. He knows he wants to forget it, because it's just another proof of his weakness and not just that, but an embarrassing mistake as well. The only good thing he could come up with from this experience it's that now he knows better than to just let his emotions take the better of him, so now he can behave accordingly the next time something like this happens.

Hopefully.

He opens the door to his bedroom and lets her in first. Once she's inside he closes it and goes to his desk, ready to pretend things are perfectly normal, but one superficial look to the room has Sachiko frowning and asking yet another embarrassing question.

"Louis, what happened to my mattress?"

He takes out a small book from a drawer and opens it. The pages are blank and it looks old and decayed. Louis is just happy Montmorency finally finished her edict and gave it back to him with time to spare before the wedding. "I got rid of it."

Her mouth falls open. "What? Why?"

"It was occupying space, gathering dust and it made cleaning the room very difficult, so I decided it needed to go" he says with a straight face. No way is he admitting he threw it out the window in a rage fit and later was too embarrassed to get it back.

" _I'm_ the one who cleans the room anyway, so why are you complaining?" Sachiko is more stunned than angry. She looks at Louis as if he's a creature she cannot comprehend. He snorts.

"When would you have cleaned the room? While you were out and about those two weeks?"

"Then, where am I going to sleep?" she asks, her shoulders dropping in dejection. Louis bites his lips, staring at the book. His face flushes while his brow furrows, as if he's debating something with himself. When a whole minute passes without him saying anything, she opens her mouth again. "Lou-"

"I heard you already" he sighs, passing a hand through his hair. He turns to look at her, and for some reason the expression on his face makes her heart skip a beat. "I… I-I" he stammers. Sachiko tilts her head, waiting patiently for what he has to say. He groans. "Argh! This is so stupid!" he stands up and walks towards the window. He slams it wide open and lets the fresh air fill his lungs. After he manages to calm down, he closes his eyes and, without turning to her, says: "you can sleep in my bed if you want."

There are a few seconds of silence, because Sachiko was only half listening, more occupied with looking at the ground and frowning, thinking how difficult it is for this boy to say what's on his mind, but when the words reach her brain, she blinks, stares at him and waits for him to tell her he's joking, even though he never really jokes. But that never happens.

So instead, the only thing she can do is open her mouth and yell.

"What?!"

"Keep quiet!" he turns around and glares at her, but his face is burning with embarrassment. He thought about this a lot, and decided that he much preferred having her sleep with him on the same bed than asking the servants for another mattress. He wouldn't be able to stand the shame. And he definitely won't let her go ask for one herself, they might tell her how he got rid of the first, and it would be worst. "I decided from now on you'll sleep on the bed with me. Having a mattress in the first place was a stupid idea. It takes space unnecessarily, not to mention it's horrible aesthetically."

"But I'm a g-!" she stops short from finishing her complain, instead narrowing her eyes at him. _No, I'm not a girl for him_. Otherwise he wouldn't be telling this to her so unabashedly, right? But still, sharing a bed with him is _a tad too_ … "Is it really ok with you? Having a girl sleeping with you?" she asks, just to make sure. Immediately he snorts.

"How many times do I have to tell you? You're a simple familiar, don't think too highly of yourself!" it's a lie, but goddammit, can't she just accept right away instead of making things difficult like always? He already feels like he's going to explode from the tension, he doesn't need her questioning his decisions _now_ of all times.

Sachiko bites her lips, looking between the bed and him, pondering. She's dating Shiro, so of course sleeping with another man should be completely out of the question, not to mention she feels something off with Louis for saying such things. Maybe she should just sleep on the floor?

"Tch, do whatever you want" Louis finally says when she takes too long to answer. He sits on his desk again and gives her his back, concentrating on anything other than the pang of rejection trying to bubble its way up his throat. Still, he can't help one last malicious comment. "See if I care when your back hurts from sleeping on the floor…"

"Now Louis, you don't have t-"

Then suddenly a metallic laugh is heard from Sachiko's back. The two turn to the sound, Sachiko straining her neck to look over her shoulder, just to see Derflinger trembling slightly in its sheath.

"Smooth, noble boy! I give you a four! Really, I've seen mercenaries being less sulky after rejection…!"

And then a sword is send flying out the window.

"Derflinger!" Sachiko shouts, leaning on the windowsill, watching helplessly as the sword lands on the ground, all three stories below. Louis scoffs, and Sachiko glares at him, as he's leaning on the side of the window, against the wall. "What the hell are you thinking? Throwing Derflinger like that!"

"It's a sword, he can't feel any pain from it" he says as he rolls his eyes, and pushes himself from the wall, walking again to the desk.

"So? It doesn't give you the right to just threw him out the window like that! You realize you could have seriously injured someone?!"

"Details."

"Don't give me that!"

Sachiko continues yelling as she makes her way to the door, slamming it shut in her path to retrieve Derflinger. Louis flops down on his chair and crosses his arms, glaring at the Founder's Prayer Book with all the frustration flowing inside his mind.

Why can't he do anything right?

* * *

She touches the handle and watches as the runes on her hand start to glow. For the last few days she had been thoroughly enjoying discovering every single aspect of the airplane. The runes allow her to understand the use and functions of the airplane in a way she never thought possible. Is this the power Louis bestowed upon her? She snorts as soon as the words form in her mind. Bestowed? Sure she's starting to use fancy words. But she can't deny that it is a very amazing power, despite everything.

"I already filled the tank with some of this 'gasoline' Sachiko" Colbert's voice calls from outside. Sachiko gives a nod and starts the engine. It rumbles to life, and with her peripheral vision she can see Mr. Colbert jumping with surprise. She lets out a small chuckle.

"Just like I thought. It works perfectly fine!" she says in a louder voice, before turning it off. She then jumps down from the airplane and dusts imaginary dirt from her clothes. Colbert is looking at her with a big smile.

"Amazing! So, how much more did you say we would need for it to fly?"

"Um, I think five or six barrels at the very least" Colbert nods enthusiastically, and with barely a goodbye dashes towards his laboratory again. Now that he knows he's on the right track, he has confidence he can speedy the process a little more. At least that's what he said.

Giving a sigh, she looks up at the airplane, and with an almost tender caress, lets her hand glide across the surface. She has never been fond of history, of the stories of war and artillery, not in the way her father was, but despite that she can't help but feel excitement every time she glances upon her little airplane. Her ticket back home. Her link to the Earth. Or maybe it's just that exploring it had become an entertaining pastime. It's amazing how with a single touch she can know everything she needs to know about the airplane, merely because it's a weapon.

 _Or rather used as a weapon_. She looks to the sides, where the machine guns should be. Her mouth becomes a line, furrowing her lips at the thought of what can be done with this thing when used in combat. Would she ever have to use it? Why is she even thinking about that? Compared to present aircrafts, this one is severely outdated, but in this environment, where only magic is used for defense and swords and spikes are what the common folk rely on to defend themselves, it surely looks like a weapon of mass destruction. How much damage can she do with it?

"Don't think about that Sachiko. It's not good for you."

She walks back towards the academy, leaving the airplane behind. No one will touch it, she knows. Despite general curiosity being abundant the first few days after she brought it, the airplane soon became monotonous to look at and more so to question about. It didn't hold the nobles' interest for long, and the servants probably had more important things to do than stare at it all day. It was a weird thing that more than likely wasn't of any use, according to them.

 _A new toy for the Zero's familiar_. That's what they called it. Sachiko didn't care. Better if they weren't interested.

"Well, with this done, I only have to go see Miss Longueville" she yawns and stretches her arms above her head. Classes are still on session, so it will be a while until she sees Louis again. Surprisingly, while she knows Louis wouldn't really joke about anything, she wasn't really expecting that she would have to sleep in the same bed as him. He was really adamant too. It makes her question how long he had been bothered with the mattress occupying space, to the point he preferred for them to share the bed. He's like that, obsessive with little things one at a time.

She didn't want to at first, finding it weird and more than anything, afraid of what Shiro would think, but she convinced herself that for him it was only like sleeping with your dog or cat, and it's not like it was any different for her.

She's lying. She was actually very nervous when that first night came. But then he only turned around and gave his back to her, as far away from her as it was possible on the bed, and ignored her all night long. She was left a little hurt and indignant at his behavior. Was she really so little for him? Come on, she's a girl, she _very much_ looks like a girl, it can't be he really doesn't feel anything, does he?

"Or maybe he's just asexual like Kirche said once" she ponders as she makes her way up the stairs in the central tower. That would explain a lot of his behavior, not only towards her but to the rest of the female population of the academy. Such a waste, with that pretty face of his. Then again, there was that thing with Henrietta, so maybe…

"You're finally here!" Miss Longueville's voice takes her out of her thoughts. She's already inside the treasure vault, the massive doors wide open, letting her see piles upon piles of… junk. "I've been waiting for over an hour."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Colbert took a little more of time with the concoction than expected, so…"

"That's not important" she dismisses with a gesture of the hand. "Now, why don't you help me? I haven't even touched a fourth of what's inside here."

"Right away" she lifts something that looks like a canteen, but made of glass, and turns it around, trying to decipher what it is. "How do we do it? Do I pass you the treasures and you write them down on your notebook?"

"Mmm, something like that" she takes away the canteen from her hands and places it back on a shelf. "This section is finished. Let's go there now."

"Ok."

Sachiko starts sorting out different objects, while Miss Longueville writes in her notebook, taking her time to examine them in search of signs of decay and arrange them again by size, antiqueness and magical level. For Sachiko, it's very entertaining. She's naturally curious, so being allowed to touch such objects, some even a thousand years old, according to her companion, is a real thrill.

But like every repetitive task, it becomes boring after a while.

"Do you need to have magic to use these treasures?" she asks in a determined moment. She's holding a staff, made of sturdy wood and shaped like the beak of a bird. From its point, a small bell hangs.

Miss Longueville raises an eyebrow, looking up for only a moment to assess the staff before going back to her notebook. "It depends. For that one, magic is required."

"Depends on what?"

"The magical level of the treasure. There are simple magical artifacts that can store a certain amount of magic, for example lamps and other things, and they're activated by an incantation or certain hand motions or seals. These kinds of objects can be used even by commoners, but they have a limited time of usefulness."

"So it's like a rechargeable item, but instead of batteries you use magic."

"What?" the spectacled woman blinks, no doubt confused, Sachiko shakes her head.

"Nothing, just thinking to myself, please continue."

"Well… those types of artifacts usually have a simple function, like restraining in case of magical ropes or illuminating a room with a magical lamp. Then, you have more advanced artifacts that fulfill more complicated tasks. In those cases, a certain amount of magic is required by the user to activate it and then another to control it, so it's impossible for a commoner to use it."

"Oh" she looks at the staff, moving it slightly from side to side. "What does this thing do, then? If I wouldn't be able to use it…"

"It controls the direction and intensity of the wind. It's ideal, because a wind mage would be able to utilize it perfectly without draining so much energy as if they were chanting themselves."

Sachiko nods, before putting the staff back in its place. They keep rummaging for a while, until Miss Longueville finally puts down her notebook and sighs.

"We're halfway through. If you need to rest Sachiko, don't doubt to ask."

"I'm fine, don't worry" she says as she grabs a big, black box from a shelf. Miss Longueville's eyes shine, before approaching the dark-haired girl.

"I was looking forward to seeing this one" without a word of warning, she takes the box from her hands and opens it. Sachiko blinks at the empty space in her hands, before slowly turning to look at what the bespectacled woman is doing. Her eyes widen slightly upon seeing what she's holding, but she quickly shakes her head. _No, it can't be…_

"Why is that?" she decides to ask, keeping her cool. Miss Longueville gives her a crooked smile, presenting it to her.

"This here it's called _The Staff of Destruction_ , famed with the power to take down even a grown dragon. In fact, I've heard that Old Osmond used it once against a three-headed dragon and won" her smile has something almost predatory to it, her glasses shining against the light filtering from the window ominously. Sachiko blinks; a little taken aback at the image the woman displays, but with a shake of her head, tells herself she's just seeing things.

"Okay, that's impressive…" she bites her lip, looking down at the notebook, "let's write it down and continue, there's still quite a lot to do…"

"The catch with it" she continues as if she hadn't heard her. _Alright,_ Sachiko thinks _if she wants to keep talking about this 'staff'…_ "Is that no one knows exactly how it works. No one besides Old Osmond has been able to use it before, so the person wielding it has to be especially powerful _or_ there is a special method to use it that the principal won't reveal."

"Ah" she gets a little more why she looks so fascinated with the staff. Still, her concentration is a little… "What about you, Miss Longueville? Can you find out how to use it?"

Her smile diminishes, until it is nothing but a thin line of frustration; "unfortunately, no. I'm tapping for magic imbued, but I can't seem to find any…" then, as if she suddenly has a brilliant idea, she gives the staff to her. "Why don't you try it?"

"Me?" she looks down at the object again with apprehension before shaking her head. "If it's a magical artifact then there's no way I could possibly…"

"But you're Gandálfr" she insists, leaving Sachiko with an open mouth. "Why not try to canalize a little of your energy into it? Maybe that way you can find out how to use it."

"I don't know, I mean, I don't think…" but Miss Longueville is looking at her with an almost pleading stare, and she can only sigh in defeat. It can't hurt to try, can it? "Well, I don't think it's really a magical artifact, anyway, but…" she starts examining it, turning it around and squinting so as to get a better idea what to do with it. Instinctually, she closes her eyes and concentrates in the same way she does every time she uses Derflinger during training.

"What do you mean by that?" Miss Longueville asks, but is interrupted when Sachiko's runes start to glow. She gasps, at the same time that the young girl opens her eyes and starts fumbling with the object.

"I knew it" her voice is low, one could say _bitter_ , as she moves her hands. The weapon is displayed under the attentive eyes of the spectacled woman, who doesn't miss detail of Sachiko's movements. But then, before flipping up the telescope, she suddenly stops and clicks her tongue. Without saying anything, she turns around and leaves the treasure vault with the staff in hand.

"Sachiko? Where are you going?" Miss Longueville calls out, angry she stopped before she could see the complete process. Sachiko doesn't turn around, instead going up directly towards Old Osmond's office. She raps against the door, waiting for an answer, but it never comes. She starts to fidget, becoming increasingly anxious while still holding the staff of destruction on her hands. Miss Longueville appears soon after. "What was that about?" she complains, almost childishly.

Sachiko turns to look at her, surprised, as if completely forgetting her presence, before giving her a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry for leaving like that, it's just… I need to talk to Old Osmond about this…" she points at the staff with her head. Miss Longueville scoffs.

"Well, you'll have to wait. He's gone to the capital on official business. It's the reason I called you to organize the treasure vault today, since the principal wouldn't need me" she explains, crossing her arms. Sachiko looks disappointed, her shoulders sagging slightly.

"No way, when is he coming back?"

"I think tomorrow night or the day after."

Sachiko sighs, a small pout on her mouth. "Too bad…"

"Yeah, well, now that this is cleared up, let's go back to the treasure vault. We have a lot to do" she says, turning around and starting to go down the stairs. Sachiko reluctantly follows, dragging her feet. "Oh, and don't think I forgot. You have to show me how the staff works, now that you showed me you know how to use it."

"It's not the big deal, really…"

"It has to be, considering you just ran off to tell Old Osmond about it" she looks at her from the corner of her eye and Sachiko gulps. Damn, how is she going to explain her strange behavior now? "It's alright, you don't need to tell me anything you feel uncomfortable with, but in exchange, show me how the staff works!"

"Why are you so adamant about that?" Sachiko asks, relieved she's letting slip what just happened but at the same time wary. Why is she so interested about this object in particular? How did she know she would be able to find out its mechanism?

"Because I'm a really, _really_ curious person; there's really no other reason" she shrugs. Sachiko hums. She can understand curiosity.

"Ok… but I don't think I can show you _exactly_ how it works though…"

"Doesn't matter, just the basics would be great, so as not to be so much in the dark."

* * *

"Is everything alright?"

Sachiko opens her eyes, looking straight at the ceiling and squinting at the light hitting her despite being only that of the candles. She turns her head to the side, where Louis is standing with his arms folded, staring at her with a raised eyebrow and what looks like concern. She blinks.

"Yes… why do you ask?" she closes her eyes again; letting her head hit the pillow once more. She doesn't get an answer, instead a few seconds pass until she feels a weight on the other side of the bed. She opens her eyes again to see him sitting on the edge, his body turned in her direction.

"You're awfully quiet" he shrugs, as if he doesn't care one way or another. Sachiko raises her eyebrows.

"You hate it when I 'talk nonstop'."

"But this is worrisome… I mean" he huffs, glancing to the side with his mouth downturned. "Whatever, I don't really care. It's better if you don't talk anyway, this way at least I can hear myself think" he stands up and sits on his desk, opening his books and ignoring her with an angry scowl. Sachiko rolls her eyes and decides to rest again. Not even five minutes later she feels a pillow being smashed on her face.

"What the heck?!" she sits up and pushes the pillow away. Glaring at Louis, she spats; "are you trying to smother me or what?!"

"Just tell me whatever is bothering you already!" he yells instead, making Sachiko reel back in surprise. He huffs again and crosses his arms, looking to the side. "It's not good to keep things inside and… you are annoying like this, even more than usual…"

Her eye twitches, but decides not to address his strange behavior, instead letting out a sigh and resting back on the bed. Taking a few seconds to collect her thoughts, she tells him about what she found out that day in the treasury vault and her suspicions. He looks pensive, his expression inscrutable as he sits on the bed again.

"So… you think the staff of destruction is actually a weapon from your world?"

"I'm pretty sure _it is_ a weapon from my world. I wanted to talk to Old Osmond about where he got the staff, and how he supposedly killed a dragon with it, considering it only has one shot and the one I saw today was still loaded."

"One shot? Loaded?"

"It doesn't really matter" she sighs. "I don't know how much of a clue it can be but… if he came across the weapon by chance… or if someone gave it to him… maybe then I can try and find this person. I didn't have the chance with Shiro's great-grandfather, but the staff isn't that old, so maybe…"

"Shiro's great-grandfather?" Louis interrupts, frowning. Shiro… if he's not wrong, that's the name of the servant Sachiko seems so fond of.

"Oh yeah, didn't I tell you? When I was gone, with Kirche and company, we ended up going to Tarbes, Shiro's birthplace, and we found the airplane there. It belonged to his great-grandfather. He came to this world from mine with it. His family allowed me to keep it as per the man's wishes."

"…" Louis frowns, staring intensely at the bed. So that's what that thing was… More so, that servant has a connection to Sachiko of such magnitude. But can they really believe his great-grandfather came from the same world as her? _Does she_ come from a different world at all? "You didn't tell me any of this. Why?"

Sachiko frowns too, not opening her eyes. "What do you mean _why_? You never asked" she opens her eyes and looks at him. "And why are you upset? I didn't think you would actually care."

Louis bites his tongue to keep his temper from flaring. Not care? If he didn't care he wouldn't even bother spending his days of void cramped up in the royal archive instead of enjoying his only free day in the week for her sake. He's very clearly interested in her and actively searching with her for a way so she can go back to her…

And then it hits him. Sachiko is trying to go back to her world. It's not just a probability; it's actually more of a possibility now. And if what she said about that thing is true…

"You… are planning to use that thing to go look for a way back to your world?" he asks apprehensively. Sachiko looks at him with a bit of surprise at his tone, and Louis quickly composes himself. "I mean, how would you do that? I don't get how that _thing_ can help you. And what do you mean that servant's great-grandfather came to this world with that? What's it supposed to do?"

"It can fly" she answers simply, ignoring altogether his rambling like she's getting used to do now. Louis blinks, before unconsciously letting out a snort.

"Really? How?" he deadpans. Sachiko narrows her eyes.

"Well, with that attitude don't expect me to explain anything to you."

"Are you trying to make me angry?" he asks dangerously. She shakes her head. "Whatever, I don't care if that thing flies or not, or how it does it. Are you really doing it? Going back to your world without another clue other than that man supposedly coming here flying with a bunch of metal?" his tone denotes his incredulity. Sachiko shrugs for lack of a better answer.

"You knew this was eventually coming, and I'm tired of waiting. If I remain here any longer…" she purses her lips, thinking about it. It has already started, how much longer can she keep without it crumbling in on her and stripping her from the determination she needs to keep forward with her plan? "If I'm here any longer, then…"

"You can't leave yet!" Louis' yell surprises her, not only for the abruptness of it but for the small hint of desperation coming from his voice. His eyes are wide, his fists clench and eyebrows scrunched. Sachiko's mouth falls open. "You are my familiar, you can't just up and leave without…!" he catches himself at the last second, finally realizing what he's saying. He closes his mouth forcefully and turns his face away from her, a healthy blush staining his neck and cheeks. He curses in his head. "I-I mean… without more information… it's dangerous and so… you have to stay here until I can obtain more…"

He waits with bated breath for Sachiko to say something, but when she doesn't, his embarrassment becomes anger again, and he looks at her ready to snap once more. Instead, he's met with the sight of her staring intently at the ceiling, her brows furrowed and her fingers intertwined over her stomach. She looks so serious he's momentarily left speechless.

"You know" she starts, still not looking at him; "It hasn't really been that much time since you summoned me, but I'm already finding the thought of leaving difficult. In such a short time, I've met many different people that have become very important to me. Mr. Colbert, Kirche, Shiro, you… even Guiche has somehow grown on me. I know that, when I leave, I'll never be able to see either of you ever again, and I was fine with that, but I'm realizing that if I don't leave now, I won't ever leave" she sighs, closing her eyes and slowly shaking her head. "It's going to hurt no matter what, but better now that bonds aren't that strong that from here to a year when I'm already too deep to let go."

As happy as she is with them, as happy as she is with Shiro, she will have to leave someday. She doesn't have a future in this world, she doesn't belong here. It's not only her desire to go back to her parents and her previous life, it's also the fear of getting too attached and then having to choose, because she knows she will always choose her parents and world and everything she did and lived here would have to stop.

Right?

She hears Louis sigh, but she doesn't open her eyes to acknowledge him, not until he starts talking.

"Goodbyes are an inevitable part of life. You always meet people that you'll have to part from someday, and it's going to hurt, and you'll be sad… but you shouldn't think about how lonely you'll be without them. Think about what they meant to you, and the part they played in your life. In that regard every person is like a lesson, no? You always learn something new from them, whether it is good or bad, it doesn't matter. So instead of being afraid of letting go… embrace everything they are and what they give you, that way you'll have something nice to remember them when you're no longer here."

Sachiko looks at him in wonder. He seems melancholic, as if he's remembering something painful, and it's then that she realizes he's talking from experience. Of course, Sachiko has never suffered lost, unlike Louis, in whose arms Prince Wales died, who was betrayed and almost killed by Wardes, and who felt the weight of Henrietta's friendship crumbling to pieces.

She smiles softly at him, unconsciously reaching for his hand. He jumps in surprise, turning to look at her confusedly.

"Thank you, Louis. I needed to hear that" he smiles back, although much more subdued, before biting his lip and nervously glancing back and forth between their hands and her face.

"Well…" he clears his throat, slowly withdrawing his hand and standing up. He walks towards his desk and sits down, playing with an old book. "Just to clarify… don't try to hurry too much about going back to your world. You will eventually, but I honestly think it's better to take a while making sure it's safe enough for you than heading straight on and regretting it in the end."

He's serious about it. He honestly thinks being too hasty is dangerous, but there's also another part of him, the one that doesn't want her to go away. He's gotten used to her company. Those three weeks she wasn't with him he was so… lonely. How come he got used to her presence so quickly?

"Hmm" she murmurs noncommittally. She understands the reasoning behind it, but she can't outright promise him to wait up if the chance to leave presents itself. Staring back at him, she sets her eyes on the old book he's handling. She has seen him examining it more than a few times in the last couple of days. What's so interesting about a worn out thing like that? "Hey Louis, what you got there?"

"You mean this?" he points at Sachiko's object of interest and she nods. "It's the Founder's Prayer Book. It belonged to Founder Brimir and has been passed down for generations in the royal family."

"Oh" she sits up, reclining her back against the headboard. "Why do you have it, then?"

"Henrietta gave it to me. It's tradition to give the book at the time of a royal wedding to whoever will be the bridesmaid or best man, in order to inspire them to write a speech. Henrietta asked me to find a bridesmaid for her, and I gave the job to Montmorency."

"Montmorency? Why her?" she asks, confused.

"She's my cousin."

"I didn't know that!"

"I never told you. Anyway, now that Montmorency has finished with her speech, I asked her to give the book back to me. Since it belonged to the Founder, I think I can find a clue about the void in it."

"Really?" she stands up, walking towards him and looking at the book from over his shoulder. She frowns. "Ehm, Louis, it's completely blank…"

"I know" he sighs, closing the book. He then turns to look at her in the eyes. "I've been concentrating, thinking there might be a trick to access the contents of the book, if it has any content at all, but so far I've been unable to feel even the slightest shift in it. It obviously gives off the essence of magic" he glances at the book from the corner of his eye, before looking at Sachiko again; "but I have no idea what I should do to unlock it. If there is a way, and if I truly possess the void, it should be possible for me, but none of the unsealing spells I learned work, and I'm afraid of trying anything of a higher level, since I could accidentally destroy it."

"That's tough" she purses her lips, moving her eyes from the book to Louis and vice versa. Then she sighs. "Well, I guess it's no use worrying about if for now. We're leaving in two days. I'm sure you'll be able to find out the way to _unlock_ the book before then."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that. Two days it's not a lot of time…" he says disheartened. Sachiko smiles.

"You need to rest. Come on, it's time to sleep. Tomorrow you'll be able to start again with a clearer mind" she goes back to bed, not even sparing a glance at him as she starts undressing. Louis quickly averts his eyes, knowing by that point that yelling at her it's not only useless, but also counterproductive in the long run, and only when he hears her enter the bed he stands up to do the same.

He swears; this girl is going to be the death of him one day.

* * *

Two entire days pass, and Louis is closing his luggage with a big sigh threatening to spill forward. As expected, he didn't manage to get anything from the book, and he's feeling incredibly frustrated with himself.

"We still have a long trek to Vindobona. You can keep trying until we get there" Sachiko does her best to cheer him up. This time, the sigh manages to pass his lips.

"Sure Sachiko, whatever you say."

"You don't have to be so flippant" she complains with a pout. The trek to Vindobona is indeed long. Almost two weeks on horse. Of course, they are not going by horse, but with dragons, something that diminishes the travel time considerably, but there are many things to prepare still, even there, in the capital of Germania where the wedding is taking place, so they have to leave with time to spare.

Louis doesn't answer, instead walking to the door, and Sachiko takes his suitcase and follows him, not expecting an answer at this point. While Louis has packed for his stay in Vindobona, Sachiko is only taking Derflinger with her and a change of clothes in a small sack. She doesn't have much more to take with her. They make their way slowly to the main tower, where they will meet with Old Osmond and Montmorency, who are also going to the wedding. Sachiko is planning to use that opportunity to talk to the principal about the staff of destruction.

Once they are reaching the office, they are stopped by a man in rough clothes abruptly opening the door and leaving, walking passed them to the stairs without even sparing them a glance. They look at each other for a second, before hearing Montmorency's shrill of a voice complaining loudly from inside.

"What do you mean the wedding is cancelled?" she says, a pout visible on her mouth. Her arms are crossed, but instead of looking defiant, she seems to be disappointed, though she's very obviously throwing a tantrum. "I'm already prepared to be her highness' bridesmaid!"

Old Osmond sighs, just when he sees Louis and Sachiko entering, wearing confused expressions. "As I was saying, Miss Montmorency, before you arrived, the messenger who just got out came to inform me of very terrible news. I'm sure after hearing them; you'll understand why the wedding is no longer a priority."

"So it's really cancelled? Why?" Louis asks, surprised. Montmorency huffs.

"He's about to say it, don't interrupt" Louis glares at her, but he knows better than to respond to her in front of the principal, and patiently waits for Old Osmond to speak. The man closes his eyes, leaning his chin on his clasped hands that are resting on the desk.

"Albion has declared war on Tristain" the three youngsters in front of him gasp, but he doesn't let them put a word in before he continues. "According to Albion, the Tristain air fleet begun an attack on one of their ships, unprovoked, forcing them to break the peace agreement and defend themselves" he shakes his head, opening his eyes and turning to look out the window. "The princess decided to postpone the wedding, and she herself has gone with an army to the battle ground, to defend our lands."

"But… how? Why? Tristain wouldn't… I mean…" Montmorency stammers, completely in shock. Louis clenches his jaw, his hands closing into fists.

"They probably staged an attack. So this was their plan all along…"

"They had begun their attacks in an area close to La Rochelle. I'm pretty sure you have heard of it. The region is a small one called Tarbes" his eyes turn to Sachiko, whose body freezes upon hearing that name. The suitcase slips from her hands, hitting the floor loudly. Montmorency and Louis look at her.

"It can't be… not Tarbes… it can't…" she's trembling, looking off towards an unknown point on the floor. Louis approaches her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Sachiko, are you alright?" he asks with worry. His touch manages to wake her up, and she quickly disentangles herself from him, turning around and bolting out of the office. "Sachiko!"

She's descending the stairs two steps at a time, heading directly for Mr. Colbert's laboratory. Without knocking, she throws the door open, waking up the sleeping man who was resting his head on his desk, completely worn out.

"Mr. Colbert! I need the gasoline right now!"

"Eh? Sachiko? What's going on?" he rubs his eyes with one hand, searching for his glasses with the other. Sachiko takes them and forcefully places them on his hand, before taking him by the shoulders and shaking him.

"The gasoline. How many barrels did you make?"

"Um… f-four, though I don't know…"

"Good, I need you to help me take them to the airplane. I have to leave for Tarbes right now!" the man blinks, still confused.

"What do you mean? Why do you…?"

"There's no time! Please do as I say!" she yells desperately. Her tone finally makes Mr. Colbert react. He nods seriously and stands up, using a levitation spell to transport the barrels with them.

Louis appears before them, winded from trying to catch up with Sachiko all the way from the last floor of the main tower. "Sachiko! Just what are you-?" they pass him before he can complete his question, completely ignoring him and leaving him no other option but grind his teeth and keep following them. When they arrive before the airplane, the pieces start to fall into place.

"Mr. Colbert, once you're done filling the tank I will need you to help me propel the airplane from the back with your magic. The terrain is too small to take fly without crashing against the wall."

"Understood."

Just when she's about to enter the airplane, Louis stops her, grabbing her wrist. She jumps up in surprise, turning to look at him as if she'd forgotten he was there at all.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asks roughly. Sachiko blinks, before tugging her wrist. He doesn't let go, and she finds herself frowning at this.

"I'm going to Tarbes. Shiro is there, as well as his family. I won't let anything happen to him" she says with conviction. Louis scoffs.

"And how are you going to do that? You alone against those large ships, there's no way you can win!"

"You never know unless you try."

"Stop joking!" he releases her but instead grabs her from the shoulders, forcibly turning her to him. "Even if you go there, you won't make a difference! You don't need to go and meddle in something that doesn't concern you! Especially with this excuse of a toy…!"

"This is not a toy" she pushes him away, dusting herself as she looks at him sternly. "This is a weapon from my world. You're right, I might not make a difference, and this war isn't really anything of my business, but if it affects those who are important to me, then I can't just sit idly and do nothing! Shiro has always been nice to me, and the villagers were kind when I was there a few days ago. They don't deserve to be in the middle of the battle for a decision that has nothing to do with them!"

She steps back, getting ready to board the airplane. Louis stops her once more, and this time Sachiko downright glares at him.

"You're not going to stop me!"

"I'm not planning to!" this silences her, and she can only stare at him with shock. Louis scoffs. "It's my country the one's that being attacked, and commoners or not, they're my compatriots. I won't let them get hurt if I can do something about it" then he looks down, muttering; "besides Henrietta is there, fighting like the idiot she is."

"So… you're going to accompany me?" Sachiko asks, still not believing it. He rolls his eyes.

"A master doesn't abandon his familiar. I won't leave you alone" and with this said, he reaches out and enters the airplane first. Sachiko stares after him for a few seconds, until Colbert's voice interrupts her thoughts.

"Sachiko, I've filled the tank with all the gasoline available!" she nods her head and boards the airplane. Her hand holds the handle and her runes start to glow.

"Thank you Mr. Colbert! I'm going to start the engine now!" the man gives a nod and runs to the back of the airplane. She releases the brakes, and the airplane starts to move at an alarmingly fast pace. The tail elevates thanks to Colbert's magic as she accelerates forward. When they are about to collide with the walls; Louis panics.

"What are you doing?!"

Sachiko ignores him and pulls the control stick, the airplane finally ascending in the air. Louis' jaw falls open, impressed that this thing _can actually fly_.

 _Then, if it can fly, does this mean Sachiko really comes from a different world after all?_

"You know more than I gave you credit for" Derflinger teases. Sachiko scoffs.

"Oh, shut up. I had enough time to get familiar with this thing. Because there was so little space, I had to ask Mr. Colbert to help me with a wind incantation, but other than that, everything's alright" she explains, shrugging.

"I know that. Remember? I'm legendary, so I know about these things in general. Anyway, this thing is really flying, how interesting."

"Of course it is. It was made for that."

"Could you two stop talking as if I'm not here? I don't understand a thing you're saying!" Louis complains. Sachiko rolls her eyes.

"You should have stayed…"

"And you should shut your mouth. We're not getting any closer with your ramble."

Sachiko snorts indignantly, but remains silent otherwise. She has a lot of things to think about, anyway.

* * *

Almost an hour later, they finally reach the sky above the region of Tarbes. Sachiko has to clench her jaw at the sight of the field that Shiro showed her just a few days ago burned down, the flowers gone and only ashes and blackened grass standing where it once was.

"This is terrible…" Louis says in a bland tone. The destruction is apparent. The sky is crowned with dragons battling among the clouds and on the ground, foot soldiers, horses and some magical beasts clash messily, the careful and disciplined formation long gone in the heat of battle.

And in the middle of it all, the ominous Lexington floats, laying waste across the land.

"That's the one you have to go after partner" Derflinger says, catching their attention. "If you plan to stop the invasion in some significant way, that warship should be your objective."

Sachiko nods, preparing herself. "I know."

She flies directly towards it, dragons immediately noticing her and going after her. She bites her lip and shoots before they can attack her with magic, being careful to aim only at the dragon's wings and wincing as they fall down like flies. But there's no time to feel bad. She has to parry the incoming attacks as more and more dragons keep appearing as if from thin air, steadily making her way closer to the Lexington.

Louis watches with anxiety as she maneuvers and calmly, almost _calculatingly_ aims and shoots, her visage cold and collected, from the outside seeming as if she isn't affected by the onslaught going on all around them. Derflinger looks out for her, indicating where the enemy is, and she dives or ascends according to his instructions. He grips the back of the seat tightly, his eyes darting from side to side, thinking desperately a plan to take down the Lexington even though he knows it's actually impossible.

 _With just this small thing… dragons don't seem to be a problem, but all the ammunition in the world won't be enough to take that thing down. You would need at least two warships of the same magnitude…_

"Noble boy" Derflinger calls, waking him up from his reverie. He looks at the sword, a bit startled. "Do you have that book with you?"

"That book? You mean the Founder's Prayer Book?"

"That one."

"Yes" he takes it out from the pocket inside his cloak. "Why?"

"I have a plan to stop that warship."

"Huh?"

"Open the book and concentrate. In times of need, you should be able to unlock it."

"You…" Louis looks at the sword incredulously, before narrowing his eyes and frowning; "if you knew the way to read the book, why didn't you say anything?!"

"I only remembered now."

"You should have remembered sooner!"

"Please, even if I did, without a purpose there's no way you would have been able to read it. Now stop complaining and open the book!"

"You little-!"

"Louis!" Sachiko shouts, dragging his attention from Derflinger to her. "Just do as he says! If there is a way to take down the Lexington within that book, then it is our only hope!"

"A-Alright, don't yell" he opens the book and passes his hand over the pages, sending a small prayer to the heavens for this to work. As if on cue, golden light starts spilling from it, slowly retreating to form letters. Louis gasps, bringing the book closer to his nose. "Unbelievable, it actually worked…"

"What does it say?" Sachiko asks, avoiding another dragon dipping for her.

"It's… a foreword. The whole thing is written in ancient runes…"

"Is that a problem?" she asks with worry. Louis shakes his head.

"No, I can read it."

Sachiko looks up. The Lexington is closer. As soon as it is within range, it starts firing at them, but instead of cannonballs, like she thought it would shoot, grapeshot pierces the plane's windshield, grazing her left cheek.

"Damn it, partner, don't go near!" Derflinger shouts. Sachiko rapidly dives sideways, dodging the attack before it can cause more damage. She groans in frustration. If she can't go closer, how is she going to sink it?

"It can't be…" they hear Louis mutter. Sachiko looks from him to the warship, a small temblor beginning in her hands from anxiety.

"Hey, whatever you're doing, can you speed it up a little? I don't know how much longer I can keep holding out…"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm almost over. But still, what the Founder wrote… he can't be serious, can he?"

"Louis!"

"Alright, keep it down, damn it!" he turns the page and his eyes hurriedly scan the single spell written there. He feels something strange while reading it. It's too familiar, as if he has done it a thousand times before, but that cannot be. He has never seen anything like it before.

 _This spell is too long._ It would take time to chant. He absently climbs Sachiko's seat, sinking his knees on it as he keeps reading. Sachiko frowns, looking at him curiously.

"Try to go as close as you can. I'm going to start chanting."

He opens the canopy and takes his head out. Sachiko panics.

"Wait! What do you think you're doing? Louis, I cannot get close, please come back! You're going to fall!"

"Just do as I say! Do you want to take down the Lexington, yes or no?"

"Yes, but…!"

"There's a blind spot above the ship. They shouldn't be able to shoot you from there" Derflinger advises. Sachiko looks at the place he's indicating, and with a small nod flies there. As soon as they're positioned directly above, Louis firmly plants his knees on both sides of Sachiko's head. She blushes.

"Ehm, Louis, I can feel your…"

"Keep circling until I give you the signal" he says, completely oblivious. Sachiko sighs, but does as she's told.

Once he's secured in his position, he takes out his wand and, ignoring the strong winds blowing across his face, starts to read. There's a small spark in his chest, a sensation as warm as the summer sun that slowly makes its way throughout his body, increasing rhythmically as he chants, something he has never felt before. It startles him at first, but he's quick to shut his mind and simply embrace the feeling. Like tendrils of water, accumulating little by little and searching for a way out.

Never before has he felt so in tune with his own magical power.

"Come on!" Sachiko complains, avoiding another attack from a dragon that has taken to pursue them restlessly. She can't hear Louis chanting because of the wind, and it's actually starting to worry her that he's taking so long, but she's having another problem at the moment.

She can't dive or make brusque movements lest Louis fall from his perch, so it's a little more difficult to get rid of this dragon than the others. _But not impossible_. She diminishes the speed of the airplane, letting the dragon come closer. Then, with the handle makes an abrupt turn to the left, taking a chance and diving while instinctually holding one of Louis' legs so he wouldn't fall. Once she disappears behind a cloud, she accelerates again and appears directly behind the dragon, opening fire with such speed she can't control where the bullets land, surely injuring both the beast and the person mounting it.

 _I shouldn't have done that, but there was no other way…_ she thinks regretfully, seeing both dragon and rider disappearing under the ship. Shaking her head, she tries not to think about it and just goes up again, waiting for Louis to finish.

Not much later, he gives a small shove with his knee to Sachiko's shoulder. She nods and goes down, getting even closer to the ship. Louis points his wand at it and utters a single word.

"Explosion."

A small light appears above the Lexington. The light grows and grows until it completely envelopes it, devouring it. For a moment, it looks like time has stopped, and Sachiko flies the Zero Fighter with automatic movements, absorbed in the display in front of her. In the next second, when the light dies down, the Lexington is left, burning and crashing to the ground, making the earth tremble beneath it.

Sachiko pulls Louis down forcibly. "What the hell was that?! How could you…? The people aboard…! And then you just…!"

"Calm down, I didn't kill anyone!" Louis shouts, landing on her lap, but not paying attention to that. Yet. "The people are fine; I aimed only to the ship. They should be able to survive a small fall like that, but the Lexington won't be flying anytime soon."

"Ah…" she sighs with relief. And then they notice their compromising position. Louis quickly jumps away, sitting as far from Sachiko as the seat allows, his face burning red. Sachiko it's in the same boat, unable to look at his face. She clears her throat. "You… you did it. You used a spell… and it was…"

"Void" he nods, just as eager to divert the conversation from the awkward situation of a minute ago. "It looks like… I'm a void user after all…"

She looks at him for a long moment, unable to interpret his expression. Is he happy or angry, sad? It's difficult to tell. He notices her stare, and frowns at her, his diminishing blush starting again.

"What are you looking at? Keep your eyes to the front while you're flying."

"If you're worried I'll crash, don't be. I'm in perfect control of the airplane and all of its-"

"Ugh, just stop looking at me" he shoves a hand against her cheek, forcibly making her look to the front, ignoring her protests and crossing his arms once her attention is no longer on him.

He glances far away, to the battlefield, where he can see the Tristainian forces fighting with renewed fervor, and wonders momentarily if Henrietta is really there, leading her people. His eyelids are drooping. He feels a bit tired after using a spell of such magnitude, and unconsciously leans his head against the window, closing his eyes.

He opens them when he feels the airplane touching the earth, bouncing a little as it drives to a stop in the middle of a blackened field, surrounded on one side by the forest, and on the other by a torn town. _Tarbes_ he thinks idly, vaguely remembering the reason Sachiko was so desperate to come here in the first place.

The girl at his side suddenly stands up and jumps down from the airplane, running towards the forest as if her life depended on it. Louis frowns, taking out a bit of his body to see the place where she's going, and he feels the sleepiness completely draining from him, at the same time that an unparalleled rage takes over.

That servant. Again.

And he was beginning to think he would never have to see his face again.

"What is this? I just won a battle and first thing she does is go jump into another man's arms? What an infuriating familiar" he mutters sourly. Derflinger laughs.

"Jealous, noble boy?" he asks in a teasing tone. Louis snorts.

"As if, I'm just saying she could be more tactful about it. I'm her master, she has to–"

"Oh, they're kissing!" the sword exclaims suddenly. Louis stands up, but when he sees them again they are just hugging. Or rather, _they are hugging while smiling at each other_. He gives a low growl. "You know, you can say whatever you want, but I'll tell you something. Unless you want to lose her to that village boy, you have to start doing something, and now."

"Do something? About what? Don't misunderstand. I admit I'm a possessive person, ok? But my possessiveness towards her has nothing to do with… what you're saying."

"And what am I saying, if you care to specify?" the sword keeps teasing. Louis narrows his eyes, before seeing that man, Shiro, leaning and giving Sachiko a soft peck on the lips. She blushes, looking down bashfully, while the young man chuckles.

That's it.

Louis jumps off the airplane and runs towards them as if he's possessed. In that exact moment, he doesn't care about the void, he doesn't care about the war, he just wants that man to get the hell away from Sachiko, and damn him he's going to make that happen.

Derflinger sighs, laughing slightly at the scene unfolding before him. Never before has he seen something like this. The master being so jealous of their familiar. The familiar preferring another over their master. "Well, this at least ought to be interesting."

But then, why does this situation feel so incredibly, _uncomfortably_ familiar?

* * *

 **A/N: Pun intended. Ok no. Sorry for taking so long, I was really, _really_ busy, and, to be completely honest, I wasn't feeling like writing much. A lot of things have happened. Game of Thrones has come and go, Fairy Tail it's over, and I finally finished the third light novel adaptation. It feels like ages have passed since I started.**

 **For the battle of Tarbes, I wanted to show Sachiko, Louis and Derflinger working as a team as opposed to the fortuitous way things happened in the light novel. I hope it showed.** **I want to get on with the fourth novel as soon as possible (more than one must be eager for the Water Spirit appearance) and hopefully I won't take as long.**

 **See you in the next chapter!**


	20. Chapter 19: After the Battle

**.**

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 19: After the Battle**

 **...**

Sachiko truly can't believe herself.

How can she be _so_ stupid?

"It's not your fault" Old Osmond says from behind his desk. "You couldn't have known."

His elbows are positioned on the edge of the desk, his fingers intertwined and his chin resting on them. His words are meant to be soothing, but Sachiko can see the weariness in his eyes, the disappointment, and it makes her gulp and her hands clench in equal measure; what she feels about herself right in that moment not very different from what she can see displayed on his face.

"I still… I should have realized it wasn't normal for her to… to…"

She was lied to, used and manipulated and she didn't realize it until it was too late, until she came back to the academy after celebrating in Tarbes Tristain's first victory in the war and found all the teachers running around in a chaos, and she was called by Mr. Colbert to the principal's office.

And Louis was forbidden from accompanying her.

"I am equally responsible for this, young Sachiko. I was, after all, the one who brought this woman here in the first place, and also the one who trusted her with a key to the Treasure Vault and enough liberty to do what she pleased while inside the academy. That is why I don't fault you for what happened."

"Yes, but still…" they both can't deny she was the catalyst for Miss Longueville, if that is even her real name, to finally take action and steal the staff of destruction; if she didn't teach her how to use it, if only she had been a little more wary of her strange, almost obsessive interest for the staff…

"It is a little worrisome, whatever Miss Longueville would do with the staff now that she knows how to use it" Old Osmond comments, careful but still managing to throw salt over her injuries. Sachiko winces, but says nothing, and just stays still, waiting for him to continue. "Personally, I don't believe she would sell it, but then again, none of us know what is it that Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt usually chooses to do with what she steals."

That name, written in big fat letters across one of the walls of the vault is one Sachiko has heard on passing around Tristania, the palace and even from the students at the academy, but she never paid attention to it. Then again, would it have been any difference if she actually did?

She took advantage of the commotion of the war's announcement and entered the vault without anyone noticing it. She was quick to leave afterwards, but not before leaving a personal taunt, so characteristically of her persona to make sure everyone knew they had been deceived by her, including Sachiko.

The shame is stronger than the anger though, and she's still fighting with the sense of humiliation inside her that Miss Longueville left her with. Because she's supposed to be smarter than this, and yet, she still…

A clap resounds in the empty office. No one else is here except for Old Osmond and her. She jumps a little, startled, and raises her head that she had unconsciously been lowering more and more to peer at him. He has his eyes closed, but he's shaking his head, similar to the way you would see a parent doing with their unruly child.

"Please Sachiko, don't worry about this. We're already handling the problem ourselves. I've sent a group of teachers to track Fouquet's whereabouts, and hopefully we will get results soon."

"In that case, I'll accompany-!"

"No" his voice is resolute, as he opens his eyes and stares at her sternly. "I appreciate your worry and willingness to help, but this is a matter of the academy, and so, it's only fit for the academy to resolve it. Besides" he adds when she wants to protest; "the tracking team has left a few days ago, there's no way we can know where they are right now, and so you joining them is impossible."

"Impossible…" she whispers to herself, almost sardonically.

"Not to count… what would Mr. Vallière think if we suddenly sent his familiar on a mission we cannot tell him about?" upon hearing Louis' name, Sachiko winces. If he knew what happened because of her, he would surely become livid and punish her.

It was supposed to be a time of joy and celebration. There was a war going on but the first battle had been won. Things were looking better for the future. Louis had finally awoken his power and she was in a relationship with Shiro. All in all, the balance should be positive, no?

And yet…

"In any case, I'll let you know of any development with the searching party. You would probably like to be as informed as possible, am I right?"

"Yes, that would be very much appreciated" she nods with a serious expression. Another silence forms between them, with Sachiko biting her lip and glancing down, and Old Osmond just looking at her, feigning disinterest and waiting. "About the staff…"

"Yes?" he prompts softly, knowing exactly what she wants to say.

"Miss L-Fouquet said something about you using it to kill a dragon thirty years ago. If that's true, then I was curious… how did you come across the staff of destruction? And how did you know how to use it?"

The man closes his eyes, letting his hands fall to his sides. He opens them again and leans back on his chair, his eyes not leaving her form as he seems to be contemplating how to begin. "What she said it's the truth. Thirty years ago, while I was travelling through the forests near Gallia, I came across a three-headed dragon. The dragon attacked me, and it was too powerful for me to do anything except try to run. It was in that moment when he appeared, my savior. I would have perished right there if it weren't for him. He had two staffs, and even though he was covered in blood and pretty injured, he used one to kill the dragon. I brought him to the academy and treated his wounds, but to no avail. He died shortly after."

"H-he's dead?!" Sachiko asks; her face pale. Osmond nods.

"Yes. I buried the staff of destruction he used to save me with him in his grave. The other I kept, and named _Staff of destruction_ …"

"And you know how that man came here?"

"No. Up till the very end, he kept repeating the same thing over and over. 'Where am I? I want to go home'. He wouldn't respond to any of my questions, as delirious as he was from his wounds. I never could ask him anything."

"I see…" she looks down, already starting to feel depressed. Why does it feel like she always arrives too late? First with Shiro's great-grandfather, now with Principal Osmond's savior…

"I'm sorry I couldn't be of much help."

"No, it's alright, thank you for telling me this. Any information I can get about people from my world is very precious" she bows as if to reassert her words. Osmond dismisses her gesture with a wave of the hand. He stands up and walks up to her.

"If there's anything I can do for you, don't doubt to ask" he places a hand on her shoulder and gives a reassuring squeeze. "I might not be able to do much, but I'm an old man. Questions, doubts and explanations, I'll always try my best to use my experience to help you out."

"Yes, thank you" she smiles sincerely, touched. Two seconds later, she yelps, feeling a wandering hand grabbing her behind a little too enthusiastically. "I-I-I-I n-need to leave n-now; L-Louis he… he…" she quickly disentangles herself from him, turning around and running towards the door. She doesn't look back as she shuts it with a loud thump.

Old Osmond looks down at his hand longingly, flexing his fingers; "Ah, such a lively girl. The happiness of being young…"

* * *

Defeated, and a little traumatized as well, Sachiko walks around the academy. There are no classes today, apparently because of the festival being held in Tristania, celebrating the victory at Tarbes and the crowning of Henrietta, something that still surprises Sachiko. Thanks to the victory, Henrietta's popularity for leading her country to battle increased exorbitantly, and not only the entire country wanted her to become their queen, but Germania was so impressed with their performance they decided the alliance between their countries could go even without a marriage.

She can see not only students, but teachers and a few members of the staff as well, walking around, enjoying the day or preparing horses to go to Tristania.

She wants to go to the festival as well, but she has no idea what Louis is planning to do for the day. Ever since coming back, he has been withdrawn and curter than ever. Despite spending the last few days in Tarbes, he had barely talked to her or even glanced in her direction, the reason being glaringly obvious.

She should have expected he would find out about her relationship with Shiro sooner or later, but it was pretty much impossible to keep the secret surrounded by the family of the man. Instead of dragging her back to the academy, he had decided to spend his time in the village with them, making acquaintances with the other villagers and giving her the bad eye whenever she so much as crossed eyes with him.

It was some of the most awkward days of her life, and not only because of Louis, but also because of Shiro's parents.

His parents…

" _You're a really good woman, Sachiko" his father had said._

" _Yes, you saved our village, and for that we're forever grateful. Now, concerning our son… what's your relationship?" his mother asked excitedly, giving Sachiko a cat-like smile. She gulped, really not wanting to answer that question._

" _Ahhh, well, you see, we still hadn't, ehm, talk about it" she answered with a nervous laugh, scratching the back of her neck in an anxious manner. It's not a lie, really. In a way, they haven't talked about their relationship in deep, and even though they were together, she thought there were a few loose ends they needed to discuss before deciding anything else._

 _Shiro's mother simply lifted a hand to her chin, and laughed in a way it reminded Sachiko of those rich obnoxious ladies from anime._

" _Why, so there is something going on already. But don't worry, we can wait, that gives us more time to plan the wedding and build a new house and-"_

" _Dear, you're scaring the poor girl" her husband interrupted, resting his hands on his wife's shoulders. Sachiko gave a sigh of relief, internally thanking the man, until he said something even more disturbing. "Though I'm hoping you don't take that much. We're reaching the age to be grandparents, you know?"_

She has to suppress a shudder once the memory comes back to her. She's only seventeen, for crying out loud! How do they expect her t-to marry and h-have children?! The mere thought is enough to make her want to dig a hole and bury herself in it, never to leave ever again!

She's probably exaggerating, but then again, when doesn't she? Her whole life seems to be cemented in dramatics and impulses. They direct her life, and it's thanks to them she is now trapped in this world with no visible way of going back home in the near future.

Shaking her head, she looks up, just in time to prevent a collision against a girl who was rounding the corner at the same time as her. "Ah, sorry, I didn't…"

"So it's you" a high-pitched voice says. With a quick glance she recognizes Louis' cousin, Montmorency, standing with her hands on her hips, a scowl on her face. "I didn't expect to see you around here anymore" she flips her hair to the side, her nose wrinkled, as if she's seeing something disgusting. This causes Sachiko to frown.

"What do you mean by that?" she looks at her again, this time realizing she's not wearing the academy's uniform. A mint green dress with a white ribbon going up the collar makes her attire, and she has to admit that, with the black socks reaching to mid-tight and leather shoes, it actually looks good on her.

The girl scoffs, making Sachiko look at her face. "Jealous? It must be so sad for a familiar like you, being unable to wear such expensive and beautiful clothes."

"I actually own the exact same dress but in salmon" she comments, feeling a bit of satisfaction when she stiffens. "Talking seriously though, what do you mean you didn't expect to see me around anymore?"

"Hmph" she tilts her chin up and closes her eyes, looking haughty. Sachiko patiently waits without batting an eyelash at her display. "After the tricks you pulled with Guiche I was hoping Louis had a little more of common sense and disciplined you harder. At the very least you should be prohibited from leaving his room. Really, he didn't learn anything after firing you that first time, and now even with a noble you had the gall to-!"

"Wait" she raises a hand, stopping her just when she looks ready to yell at her. Her mind tries to process what the freckled girl is saying, but all the conclusions she reaches only leaves her with one question at the end; "what?"

"Don't play dumb! It's obvious you're going after Guiche! Really, I should have seen the signals sooner. Your attempts at separating us and later how you would stick to him like gum… I don't know what kind of trickery you've pulled to make him follow you everywhere and even give you flowers, but listen to me-!"

"Alright, let's make two things clear" she places a hand on her temple; her eyes closed trying in vain to reign in a rising migraine. "One; I would rather chop my hand off and eat it than going out with that guy. No offense if you like him, he's just not my type. Second; I didn't do anything to make him stalk me the way he does, if you have any complains about it talk it out with him. Placing the blame on me will take you nowhere, and really, if you're getting like this even though you two are no longer together, maybe you should reconsider your feelings and think about giving him a second chance. Just saying" she shrugs, before placing a hand on her shoulder. "Now, with this done, I think I saw him loitering around near the water tower. I'll assume you're dressed like this to go to the festival in Tristania. If you hurry, you can catch him and make him take you there. Good luck" she winks at her before leaving, her placid face becoming annoyed the farther she gets away from that girl.

Really, of all the people at the academy, she had to accuse her of trying to seduce Guiche? Guiche?! Ugh, why does everybody seem so keen on traumatizing her today?

Still fuming over this, she makes her way to the kitchens, where she knows Shiro must be. She would normally make her way to Louis' room, but when faced between visiting her boyfriend or going back to her moody master; well… the choice is quite obvious.

She immediately regrets her choice once she is received by hollers and cat-calls from the current working staff.

"Well, look who's finally here" Marteau says with a guffaw. Hands on his hips and a smile that splits his face from ear to ear, he turns to the left and without as much as a greeting from Sachiko, hollers out; "Shiro, come here! Sachiko wants to see you!"

The colors rise to her face, and she's left gasping like a fish out of the water. She tries to deny this, her hands moving frantically in her desperation, but she's ignored, and soon she sees Shiro exiting the storage room, a scowl marking his face as he glowers at the older man.

"Stop yelling, I'm not deaf. And please, try not to embarrass Sachiko, she's barely breathing."

"Oh, please, a little jig never hurt nobody."

"I swear, if you were not my boss…"

"But I am, now leave whatever you were doing and go enjoy the day with our sword here. I'll have someone else do it" both Shiro and Sachiko look astounded by this. Shiro is the first to recover, frowning again.

"Marteau…"

"Come on, no one will care if you take a little time off to be with your girlfriend, isn't that right guys?"

"That's right!" the other staff answers, all with smiles and teasing eyes. Shiro whispers a few choice curses and takes Sachiko's hand, guiding her outside the kitchen. The girl stops blushing at the teases of the servants, and instead begins to blush at the soft but firm contact of Shiro's hand on hers. They arrive at a secluded sector of the academy, a small courtyard with plenty of shadow that has a single bench parked on a corner.

"I'm sorry about that. I have no idea how they found out about us, but they've been insufferable all morning" he sits down on the bench, releasing her hand but leaving her the choice to keep standing or sit with him. She chooses the latter.

"It's alright. I apologize too. I did nothing but stand there, blushing like an idiot…" she hangs her head, laughing in self-mockery. Shiro frowns.

"You're not an idiot, so don't say that."

The silence that follows isn't awkward, but there's a certain tenseness in the air. Sachiko fidgets, playing with her fingers and stealing glances at him every few seconds. After a while, Shiro sighs, turning his body so he's facing her.

"Alright, what is it?"

"Eh? Um, I don't know what…"

"Sachiko, there's something on your mind" he reaches out and gently presses his thumb against her forehead. One of her eyes closes and she looks at him as a small blush begins to spread on her face, again. "It's been there since we were in Tarbes, but you haven't said anything. If something's bothering you, especially if it concerns us, don't hesitate to tell me, ok?"

She swallows when his hand falls back to his side, feeling a bit guilty. So he did notice. She presses her lips in a line as her eyes fall to the ground. "I'm sorry… I didn't want to make you uncomfortable…" she waits for him to intercede, but he only stares at her, waiting. "I was just thinking… now that you know I'm from a different world, well, you understand that our relationship might be a little difficult" she looks at him, but he doesn't seem about to interrupt, and that makes her more nervous than anything. "What I mean to say is; what are the plans for the future? If we actually have a future or…"

"I'm not going to play stud for you Sachiko" he deadpans, taking her by surprise. Her eyes widen and she turns to look at him as a deer caught in headlights, her cheeks immediately gaining color. Shiro seems to realize what he just said, as his face also reddens, and he turns away, biting his lips to keep the shame at bay. "Shit, sorry, that came out wrong. That definitely came out wrong."

"A-A little" she tries to control her shaking, laughing it off as if he hadn't just threw her off with his choice of words. It has to be the first time she hears him talking so… casually. And cursing so much.

"No, listen, what I actually mean is…" he sighs, a hand running through his hair. "If we're going to be in a relationship, I don't plan to be anything but serious with you. If what you want is someone to… pass the time with" he grimaces at his own words, and so does Sachiko; "then we should just forget about this."

"I don't want to play around either" she confesses, her voice a mere whisper, since it embarrasses her talking about such themes out loud. Her ears begin to burn as she feels his eyes completely focused on her, but she can't meet them. "All I'm saying is that someday I might go back to my own world, and when that time comes, what are we going to do about it? I'm not going to abandon my family back at Japan, and you're not going to abandon yours here for my sake" he doesn't say anything, and that's all the confirmation she needs. "So, when that time comes…"

"When that time comes" he interrupts, his voice sounding far away. "Then we'll see. For now we can just… enjoy the moment; go as far as we can go… don't you think?" he looks at her uncertainly. Sachiko sighs.

"The more time passes, the more difficult it will be, and the more it will hurt in the end."

"But just because it might hurt it doesn't mean we shouldn't try it out. You know, by the time you find a way back we might not even be together anymore" he laughs in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I don't know about you, but in my experience being in a couple you should never take anything for granted. Anything can happen. Things can change faster than you expect it."

"Mmm, you're right."

"So" he turns to her again, this time smiling a little more sincerely. "What do you say? Do we go as far as we can?"

She smiles too, twisting her body so she can look at him face to face as well. "Yeah, let's go as far as we can."

They share a small moment, in which they only look at each other with contentment, but not much time passes before Shiro's expression changes to a serious one, and he slowly draws closer to her. Sachiko blinks in surprise, before showing a determined expression and getting closer too. They are about to kiss, their lips just centimeters from each other, when an aura of danger suddenly envelopes them, stopping them in their tracks.

"Sachiko" Louis' voice sounds like it comes directly from the afterlife. She gulps, separating from Shiro and slowly turning to look at him. He's standing in front of them, his face blank but his eyes narrowed, and his hands on his sides forming tight fists.

"Ah, Louis, this is…" why is she trying to justify herself? Shiro is her boyfriend, she can do whatever she wants with him, but something on Louis' posture tells her is better if she chooses her words carefully. On the other hand, Shiro frowns, but refrains from saying something, instead waiting for what Louis wants to say.

"I received an urgent message from the palace. Come with me" and without even sparing a glance at Shiro he turns around, briskly walking away. Sachiko stands up on a panic.

"Wait! Louis!" she looks at Shiro apologetically. "I'm so sorry Shiro, it seems it is important and…"

"Don't worry about it" he gives her a kind smile, although there's a small tic developing on his left eyebrow. "Whatever it is, if it's from the palace you should go. As for Mr. Vallière" he looks behind her, seeing the younger boy waiting with his arms crossed under the archway, watching Sachiko impatiently as he taps his foot; "go before he gets an ulcer or something. And be careful."

Sachiko laughs nervously at his words. Although it's obvious Louis isn't very fond of Shiro, it seems Shiro doesn't particularly like Louis either. But while she can understand a little of Shiro's dislike, as Louis has not exactly been the kindest to him, why Louis doesn't seem to stand Shiro is still a mystery to her.

 _Maybe he's jealous or something?_ She immediately discards the notion, finding it ridiculous. _If it's jealousy, then it must be the one of a master for his familiar, or a child who doesn't want to share his toys. Yes, that must be it. That's why he's behaving this way lately…_

"Sachiko!" Louis yells, startling her.

"Ah, yes, going!" she bows to Shiro before bolting in Louis' direction. While her back is to them, the two men glare at each other in a challenge of who drops their gaze first. Louis does, but only because Sachiko finally arrives at his side, and with a scoff and a raise of his chin, he walks away, Sachiko following.

Shiro rolls his eyes, throwing his head over the seat of the bench, and stares at the blue, cloudless sky.

* * *

Sachiko pinches the end of her salmon dress, ironically the exact same she saw Montmorency wearing today, with a pinch of her nose. What were the odds of Louis making her wear it to the palace? Trying to conceal her distaste at this, she turns bored eyes to the two mages in front of her. Henrietta reaches out to hand Louis a piece of parchment. She talks while he reads silently.

"According to some investigations made by my personal guard, a mysterious and powerful dragon attacked and defeated an entire troop of Albion's forces. Not only that; but the light that engulfed and destroyed the Lexington was also said to have appeared near this incredible dragon" when Louis finishes reading, he gives back the report to Henrietta, and she accepts it with a serious expression.

"Now, the strange thing is that, after interrogating some villagers from Tarbes, they told us that the 'dragon' wasn't actually a living creature, but a magical artifact that used to belong to the village and was handed down to a young woman approximately a week ago. A young woman who, they said, was the familiar of a noble studying in the Tristain Academy of Magic" she looks at them, her eyes not faltering a single second. "I think you'll agree with me when I'm saying you two were responsible for that, won't you?"

They remain silent. Louis because he's trying to order his thoughts for what he is about to convey to Henrietta and Sachiko because she doesn't care about the situation at all. She isn't even looking at them anymore, instead, she's curiously gazing at the exquisite design of the room they are in: Henrietta's office.

A big, neat oak desk is sitting in front of a large window with view to the city below. Bookshelves stand at each side, full of tomes, and paintings and other finery hang from the walls, upholstered with an elegant white and pink tapestry. The ceiling too, of an immaculate white, from where a crystal chandelier hangs, shining beautifully with the sunshine, is impressive. In front of Henrietta's desk there are two elegant white armchairs, the same ones they're sitting on right now.

It's not the first time they're there, but it's a first she finds herself more attracted to the room itself than to what the other two are saying. She has a small idea of what they're going to discuss, Louis having briefed her along the way of what he thinks the newly crowded queen might want, and it's not anything that might interest her for the moment.

When she hears Louis taking a deep breath, she knows he's going to explain to Henrietta about the void, and for some reason that makes her uncomfortable. She isn't sure why, if it is because she considers something like this should be kept a secret or because he's trusting Henrietta with such a discovery. She knows they don't have much of an option, considering the young Queen had almost completely figured it out already, but even so, she can't help but feel something bad might come out of this. Apparently so does Louis, as he doesn't look any more thrilled than her when retelling their discoveries from the past few months.

"I see…" Henrietta whispers after Louis' explanation. She has an astonished expression, fidgeting anxiously with her hands atop the desk. "The void… seems like it wasn't only a legend" she gives a soft chuckle. Louis nods, gazing away in embarrassment. "There's no way I can thank you enough."

The sudden comment surprise both Louis and Sachiko, as they look at Henrietta in astonishment. Louis shakes his head vehemently.

"No, Your Majesty, please don't. I just did what I had to-"

"Louis, I told you time and time again to just call me Henrietta" the young woman interrupts, before heaving a sigh. "And honestly, I do have to thank you. Don't you realize that without your help we would have been defeated? The Lexington carried the greatest threat in the entire field, and once it sunk, not only their forces but Albion's moral decreased extraordinarily, allowing us to claim the victory" she explains solemnly. She stands up and circles the desk until she's in front of Louis. With a swift movement, she holds his hands in hers, and looks at him gratefully. "So I'm sorry I can't bestow upon you anything for this heroic deed you have done. You understand it would be better for you if nobody knows of your immense power, right?"

Against the odds, Louis' face turns bright red. Sachiko's eyes widen at the sight, and her mouth opens slightly in surprise. Why is he blushing? What the heck?!

"I… I know Henrietta. I'm not asking for anything in return. I'm just happy I was able to defend my country" the queen smiles softly at this.

"I'm glad."

 _What's with them? How much longer do they intend to be like that?_ Sachiko thinks; feeling irritated for some reason. _And thank you for your consideration, your majesty, I sure as hell enjoyed flying to battle and killing dragons, so no need to do a fuss about it_. It isn't that she wants recognition or anything; it just bothers her all the attention Henrietta is giving Louis. Why though?

Then suddenly, Henrietta releases Louis' hands and turns to look at Sachiko. The black-haired girl is taken aback, immediately turning red at realizing the kind of thoughts she was having were very close to what one might call _jealousy_.

"To you too, kind familiar, I'm indebted" she goes back to her end of the desk and rummages through the drawers. "Though I cannot give you a proper reward, I hope you can accept this" she puts a small bag in her hands. Sachiko looks at it, curious, and Henrietta smiles before turning to Louis. "Also, to you Louis, though I don't like the idea of you using your powers, I have a big favor to ask of you, and that is to help me during this war, granting me your strength" Louis raises his eyebrows, surprised, but Henrietta doesn't falter. "You can think about it, but I would be really grateful if you accept. Being a court member already you can come and go from the palace as you wish, but with what I have in mind you'll need more authority in order to be able to help me more thoroughly. Therefore, if you could inform me of your decision as soon as…"

"Henrietta" Louis interrupts, silencing her immediately. "I am a noble of Tristain. If her majesty is asking me to help her during this crisis, I'll be more than happy to be of use for her and the country. This power I have…" he looks down at his lap, at his hand that clenches slightly over the fabric of his pants; "God gave it to me for a reason. After being ridiculed all my life, I believe in what I can do now."

Henrietta blinks, and a second later a warm smile spreads across her face. She sits down on her desk again and takes out parchment and ink. After writing something down for a few minutes, she stamps her personal seal on a corner of the paper and hands it to Louis, who accepts it gladly. "I grant you this royal permission then. With it, you'll have supreme authority over everything, even the police. You'll be able to act in my name whenever the situation needs it." Louis bows his head. "Very well, then take the Founder's Prayer Book with you, since you are a user of the void, it rightfully belongs to you, but promise me something" she looks at him with a concerned expression. Louis put on a serious face, and nods. "Don't use this power recklessly. Mother always says that great power can drive people mad, so please, be careful."

"I will" he gives her another bow, and after taking the book with him, leaves the room. Sachiko lingers for a little bit more, making Henrietta give her a questioning look.

"With great power comes great responsibility" she says, her voice calm, but the young Queen knows she's barely restraining another emotion she can't identify. "I don't know what you're planning to do, but you better heed your own advice first, _your majesty_ " she pronounces the last words with an edge, catching the young queen off guard. Sachiko stands up and, with a bow, leaves the room, her expression hard as something distasteful seems to slowly brew in her stomach.

* * *

Going down the palace's staircase, Sachiko looks at the ground, frowning. She's trying to make sense of her jumbled feelings. Why did she react like that with Henrietta? Why is she so mad? She raises her eyes and glances at Louis. Her chest constricts upon looking at his back, and she presses her lips, disturbed. In more than one occasion he told her how he didn't trust Henrietta as he used to, and in some sense she understands why he told her about the void and even why he accepted to be an active part of the war, but still, can't he see what that means for her?

Suddenly, Louis stops. Sachiko eyes him curiously, waiting for his next action, standing behind him with her arms crossed. He speaks in a soft voice, almost a whisper, and the young girl has to struggle to comprehend his words.

"…leave" he says. Sachiko blinks.

"Alright, if that's what you want" she shrugs, stepping aside and continuing forward. She knows he actually doesn't mean that, but thinks it would be appropriate to tease him a little for not saying out loud what he wants to tell her. She's right, and before she can take another step, she feels him grabbing her wrist harshly. She hisses at the pain; he never knows how to control his strength; and turns to look at him. "What?" she asks plainly.

"I said; you cannot leave" he repeats, this time louder and with his eyes shining in newfound anger. Sachiko rolls her eyes.

"Leave? Where to?" she plays dumb. Louis growls.

"To the east! As long as this war rages on and Queen Henrietta needs me, you'll stay here, helping me, you understand that much, don't you?" he asks derisively. Her lower lip quivers, understanding too much. She takes her hand back with a huff.

"Obviously. You're just being an idiot like always, so I thought I might ignore you a bit, that's all" she responds, turning her head away. The young boy narrows his eyes.

"Stop playing around, this is not a game! A war is something serious!"

"I think I can understand that much" she puffs her cheeks, crossing her arms. "I'm just surprised. You don't trust Henrietta, and yet you willingly told her everything about your power and readily accepted to help in a war. I'm wondering if _you_ are the one who's playing around."

The last sentence is like a slap to the face. Louis takes it personally as he first opens his eyes in incredulity and then narrows them, completely livid.

"What the hell? Are you even listening to what you're saying?! What do you know about anything?! I am a noble of Tristain! Regardless of what I personally think of Henrietta do you actually believe I would keep my power a secret from my queen?! That I would refuse to defend my country?!"

"That's not what I meant…" she says firmly, but her voice is small when compared to his anger.

"Since I've been given this power, there's something I can do now to help out, so of course I'm going to accept participating! To think you would doubt that or tell me _I'm_ playing around is inexcusable! When you are the one who had been behaving-!" he cuts himself before he can say more, realizing where his words are leading him. Unfortunately, Sachiko notices too.

"When I'm the one to what?" she raises her voice slightly. Instead of answering, Louis raises his chin and tries to walk past her, but she grabs his arm, her hold incredibly strong against him, so much that he has to suppress a wince. "What were you going to say Louis?" she challenges.

Louis scoffs, feigning annoyance, even though inside there's nervousness accumulating in his gut. "It doesn't matter. It was just-"

"It does matter" she cuts him, releasing him. Louis doesn't rub his arm to soothe the pain she left out of pride, even though he wants to. "I want to know."

What does she want him to tell her? That he has been wallowing in anger and frustration for the past three days? That the sight of her after finding out she's going out with that servant makes him so irritated he actually has to hold back from physically lashing out at her? That, once again, he feels like nothing, like he's never good enough, that there's someone who's better than him _again_?

No, he can't, he won't fall so low as to tell her it's not only duty what compels him to accept Henrietta's request, but his own desire to feel fulfilled. That now that he has this power and is _needed_ a small part of him feels full, as little as it is.

So instead he says; "a familiar like you doesn't need to know the reasons behind his master's decisions, and has no right to question or demand anything. If I order you to do something, you will do it, and if I don't want to tell you something, _I won't_."

Sachiko's eyes widen; incredulity and hurt displayed clearly in them, so much Louis immediately regrets his words, but before he can say anything, she lowers her head, her bangs hanging and covering her eyes, her body trembling.

Her voice the coldest he has ever heard from her.

"You think I don't know that?" she laughs, even though there's no real joy behind it. Louis winces, but is unable to say anything as she continues, and he can't bring himself to interrupt her. "Because I do, 'Mr. I am a powerful void user'. You want to help? Good. You want to serve your little Queen? Good. You want to run head first into this war? Even better!" her tone is escalating the more she talks. "But you forget something important, Louis François" she raises her head, her eyes moist and tears threatening to come out of them, and thrusts an accusative finger at his chest. Louis takes a step back, taken aback by the cold anger in her features. "I am not from this world; I don't have to care about what happens to this stupid country or that beloved Queen of yours, and if I stay here or not it's my decision and mine only. Doesn't matter if you're my master or we have a contract or whatever, if I want to leave, I will, and there's nothing you can do to stop me and even less to force me to take part in this war, got it?!"

She practically screams her last words. With a huff and a swift turn of her heels, she stomps off, her hair swaying with every step she makes. Louis blinks, his jaw slack and eyes wide, before her words finally settle in his mind. He gulps and sprints after her, trying to catch up with her. He's stunned, his heart not deciding which emotion he should manifest first; if anger, sorrow, sadness or pity, but he knows he has to talk to her, say something before… before…

He loses her. The crowds are even bigger than usual, due to the prolonged celebration in Tristania for their victory in Tarbes and subsequent coronation of Queen Henrietta. He curses under his breath, anger taking its normal place in his foggy mind. Where is she planning to go, anyway? The only way to go back to the academy is by horse, and theirs is in the stables… unless she plans to leave without him. She wouldn't do that, right?

"I'll kill her if she does that!" he shouts, attracting a few eyes, but he ignores them, running as fast as he can to the city stables. He's in such a hurry, that he doesn't see a group of three drunken soldiers just ahead of him, and unceremoniously bumps into one of them. "Ugh, get off my way!" he yells, pushing past the man, however, the soldier isn't happy at all with this, and faster than Louis thought a drunk man like him could, he seizes him by the arm and roughly pulls him back.

"I think you wanted to say 'sorry'" the man says in a drawl. Louis looks up at him. He's big, muscled and with a scar crossing his left eye. He's certainly intimidating, but Louis has never been one to be scared of big guys, so not seeing a great threat, he does what he's best at: snap.

"No, I said 'get off my way', and I'm serious. Let me go if you don't want to suffer the consequences" he warns, trying to get away, but the grip in his arm just becomes tighter.

"Seems like someone needs to be educated" the man says in a low growl.

"Ehm, Joshua, he's a noble" one of his other two friends suddenly points out. The man called Joshua stares Louis down, eyeing his black cloak and the pentagram of nobility. Louis bares his teeth in anger, waiting for the man to either release him or…

"So what?" the man says with a snort, surprising his comrades but not Louis, who already saw this possibility, seeing how drunk the man is. "We're celebrating today! Nobles, soldiers, who cares? Listen here brat, I am a soldier having a bit of fun after a long battle, the likes of you probably never stepped into a battlefield before, so you should be more respectful because-"

"Likes of-!" How dare he say something like that? If it wasn't for him, he and his stupid friends would probably be dead somewhere, without honor or glory! "Oh, you'll have it now, you grotesque an-"

"What's going on here?" a cold voice cuts their argument. They turn around, seeing the frowning face of a black-haired woman who Louis immediately recognizes. He opens his mouth to say something, but is interrupted by the brute still holding his arm.

"What do we have here? Young lady, do you wish to accompany us for a drink?" he tries to ask smoothly, failing miserably but not realizing it due to his drunken state. The other two immediately fawn over her as well, making Louis' blood boil from rage. He takes advantage of their distraction and yanks his wrist free, before kicking Joshua harshly on the shins. He hisses in pain, looking at the young boy with his eyes seething. "Brat, now you-!"

"He's with me" Sachiko puts an arm in front of Louis, stopping them before they could end up in a street fight. "I strongly recommend you to leave us alone, I don't want to make a scene" she narrows her eyes, touching Derflinger's hilt with her left hand. She feels the now usual burst of energy going through her body, and bares her teeth on instinct.

The drunken soldier looks at her for what feels like an eternity. The logical part of his mind is telling him she's simply bluffing; a little girl like her would never have a chance against three trained soldiers like them, however, there is another part, a more primitive one that screams at him to just leave because he can't possibly win against her. He narrows his eyes, before snorting and turning away.

"Whatever, let's go guys" he says to his comrades. The other two, also feeling the menacing aura drifting off the girl, follow him, and soon after only Sachiko and Louis remain. She sighs; relieved she needn't do anything, before turning and looking at Louis with renew anger.

"Five minutes! I leave you alone for five minutes and this happens?!" she yells, positioning her hands on her hips. Louis frowns and takes a step forward, eyeing her defiantly.

"I was looking for you! What is your problem, really? You stomped off, leaving me behind, and then you yell at me for something I cannot control?"

"That's beyond the point! I wanted you to have time to think about my words, and I wanted to calm myself a little. You could have simply stay there or walk around without causing trouble, but no, first thing you do is catch a fight with some random drunkard!" by that moment, people around them are watching them curiously, their voices being loud enough for them to hear. They don't seem to realize this, though, because they keep arguing nonetheless.

"Don't you even dare blame me for anything! It is you who exploded all of a sudden! Saying you will go no matter what I say. You're supposed to listen to me!" he retorts, his voice acquiring a desperate tone Sachiko thinks is just part of her imagination. She rolls her eyes.

"Listen to you? Louis, please, I have my own life, in case you hadn't notice. Like I said back there, I don't have to care for anything that happens here, I am free to go wherever I want because it's my life and I'm the one who has to live it! Not you, not the Queen, not any citizen of this country, but me" she looks at the ground, biting her lip with a pained expression. "You can't just expect to order me to stay and that I'll do that happily. If I do it, I want it to be my decision, ok?" she says, her voice considerably lower than before.

Louis blinks, not expecting that come back at all. He stares at her, her eyes seemingly watery and her face flushed, and he can't stop himself from blushing as well. Was it strange that he wanted to hold her so badly? He sighs, analyzing her words and coming to the conclusion that she's right. She is his familiar, true, but she's also a human being, capable of making her own decisions. He feels the guilt constraining his chest getting stronger, and with a shuddery breath, says:

"Sachiko, please stay" the girl blinks, and looks at him, surprised. He has to gaze away; otherwise he doesn't know if he can do this. "You can go back home after all of this is done, but for the time being, please… stay" _there, I said it, now please; just accept_ he begs in his mind, refusing to make eye contact with the girl in front of him.

Sachiko is stunned. Her jaw hangs open and her eyes are wide. She didn't expect Louis, the commanding and overbearing Louis to actually ask her to stay, and not only that, but he did it nicely. Of course she's going to stay, she can't simply leave everyone she cares about here, while a war is waging, and less leave Louis, who will surely participate and be in the front lines, unprotected while she's elsewhere peacefully looking for a way home. She had said all that back in the palace to get a rise out of him, she didn't think it would work. And now that it has, she's at a loss for words.

She gulps, trying to ignore the pounding in her ears from her racing heart. It's so loud she can barely think. Her palms are sweaty and her face is bright red. Hearing Louis asking her to stay… is making her feel fuzzy. And she doesn't like this. Why is she feeling like this, really?

After a few minutes pass with nothing but silence filling in the emptiness, Sachiko finally decides to speak: "Yes" her voice is a mere whisper. Louis slowly looks up, his own heart pounding. "I-I'll stay" she says, gazing away. He blinks, before nodding.

"Good, that's… thanks."

Silence. And then…

"Are they going to kiss mommy?" a little girl asks her mother. That comment snaps the two youngsters from their stupor, and they immediately look around, realizing the ring of people surrounding them, all of them staring intently at them and the scene that had just taken place. To say they're embarrassed would be an understatement.

"Yeah, kiss her!" a man on the back prompts. It doesn't take long for the rest to nod in agreement, and in almost no time at all they're all applauding, singing a mantra of 'kiss, kiss, kiss'.

"Let's get out of here" Louis whispers, his blush augmenting by the second. Sachiko nods, her face as red as his, and they run off as quickly as they can, leaving a not so pleased crowd behind. When they are far enough, they stop, catching their breaths and still not looking at each other. They stay there, in silence, trying not to think about what had just transpired, not only with the crowd but between them. Not being able to bear the silence longer though, Louis clears his throat.

"Well, that was, ehem, what did Henrietta give you?" he quickly changes the subject, something Sachiko is grateful for.

"Ah, I didn't see…" she takes out the heavy bag from before and opens it. For a moment she's stunned, seeing so many golden coins inside it. She wonders how she didn't suspect it before, considering the weight and tinkling sound it produced…

"Wow" Louis whistles. "There should be at least a thousand écu in here" he says, taking out a single coin.

"A thousand… is that a lot?"

"Enough to maintain a family of five for half a year" he shrugs, returning the coin. "So… are you going to use it?"

"I guess, I mean, I don't know exactly how much an écu is worth in my country's currency but… money is to be expended, right?" she asks with a shy smile.

"Sure. I can help you if you want. And since we're in a fair, you might find something you like" he says, gesturing around them. Sachiko nods; feeling excited all of a sudden. She needs new clothes after all. Too many dresses, too little of what she actually likes.

They walk around for a little bit, seeing the stands and commenting on their products and prices. Louis is indicating her how much an object normally costs, whispering under his breath so the sellers won't hear them, and Sachiko is having a difficult time concentrating due to him being so close she can feel his breath on her ear. It's not that she's attracted; she reasons with herself, she would react the same way with any other boy, being as unaccustomed to them as she is.

"You're not listening" the impatient voice of Louis snaps her back to reality. She jumps up, startled, and turns to look at him with a bashful expression.

"N-no, I am, I swear, it's just…" she fumbles with the words, trying at all costs not to cause another fight between them now that they are at peace, when something catches her eyes. She gasps, automatically walking to one of the stands, or rather, a spread carpet in the ground where there are a few objects in display. Probably clothes and other utilities rescued from the battlefield that used to belong to Albion, seeing how torn or dirty some of them are. Not listening to Louis calling to her, she eyes the sailor uniform, and asks the merchant the price.

"Why do you want an Albionian marine uniform? If you want clothes, then-" he tries to say, but she's not listening.

"I'll give you three for one écu" the seller says. Louis frowns. That's a bit expensive for something so…

"Deal" and of course the idiot accepts. He sighs exasperatedly while she pays the price and takes the uniforms with her, all the while smiling in that goofy way she has. _Well, if she's happy…_ he thinks at the end. That doesn't stop him from giving her a lecture about being more responsible with her money, though.

* * *

 **A/N: Soooooo yeah, I better apologize for the _very_ long wait. I have nothing to say in my defense except that I was busy. _Really busy._ Last year and this one were full of changes for me but I rather not go into details. The good thing is that, unlike last year, this time around nothing bad happened to me, it's just I didn't have time to write at all.**

 **Like always, I'm going to _try_ to bring the next chapter soon, but those of you who have been with me for a while now probably know that soon can be anything from two weeks to six months from now. So sorry for that. Also, for those wondering if I'm going to drop this story, the answer is no. I might take very long to update, but be assured I won't just be quitting, if I take too long one of two things happened: I'm slaving myself at work or I'm dead.**

 **I have quite a few PMs in my inbox, and I think the last time I answered one of those was in february. I will look through them now and asnwer as soon as I can. Promise.**


	21. Chapter 20: The Sailor Uniform

**A/N: Kind reminder that the Siesta mentioned here is a completely different character than Shiro. Shiro IS the original Siesta's genderbend version. This one here is kind of an inner joke of mine.**

* * *

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 20: The Sailor Uniform**

 **...**

Sachiko has never considered herself to be a very interesting person. She doesn't have hobbies, or any special abilities. She can't dance, or sing, or draw. Cooking is very difficult for her and sewing impossible. Playing an instrument is nothing more than a far off dream. Despite all of this, she tries. She tried finding something she was good at, before being summoned, and even farther back always had it in her mind to try for new things, discover what she could do.

It took her a great part of her early teenage years and even late childhood to muster up the courage to do something for herself, beyond the mundane routine of going to school, do homework, eat and sleep; years of seeing her friends going to their after school clubs while she went back home, wondering what her mother would do for dinner.

If someone were to ask her why it took her so much time, she wouldn't have a definite answer. Her detachment to most things certainly played a part in staying in a comfortable life, refusing to accept experimenting new things, but it wouldn't be farfetched to assume that same detachment was the result of a life having people telling her what she can or cannot do. Subtly prohibiting her from deciding things on her own.

 _Come back home directly from school. Don't raise your voice. Use those clothes. Don't play with that. Stay still. Smile. Do that. Don't do that. We wouldn't tell you what to do if it wasn't good for you Sachiko._

Was it just her? It couldn't be just her, right? Surely other kids were always told off by their parents, their teachers. And yet, when she looked around, she could see other girls laughing together, playing without a care in the world. She could see the boys running around or fighting. Yes, their parents yelled at them. Yes, the teachers reprimanded them. But it felt so different.

"Do you understand Sachiko?"

Sixth grade; physical education class. Everybody had to run fifteen laps in order to pass the exam.

Not Sachiko.

While the others were finished and able to return to class, Sachiko was asked to stay behind.

"I… think I do" she nods, her small hands grabbing a ball. It's heavier than a normal ball though, the material hard and unyielding. With a small breath, she closes her eyes, takes impulse, and runs. Once she reaches the white line, she throws the ball with as much force as she can. It flies, soars through the sky, until it finally hits the ground with a flat sound, rolling a few meters until it completely stops.

"That's great Sachiko! That must be a good thirty meters!" her teacher claps enthusiastically. Sachiko bends over her knees and gasps, retaking as much oxygen as she can. Is it normal to get so winded from just throwing a ball? She did run a little, but still… "That would be all Sachiko. The test is over. You can go back to your class now."

She nods, straightening her back and letting out a sigh. For a moment she closes her eyes, feeling the cool wind of early spring against her skin. She's tired.

"Sensei" she says once her heartbeat and breathing are back to normal. The older woman looks up from a few papers she had been reviewing, her eyes getting round at seeing her still there.

"Sachiko, I thought I told you could go back to the classroom" then her face shifts, a worried expression replacing the sunny one she had before. "Are you feeling unwell? Perhaps I should take you to the infirmary…"

"I'm fine sensei" she cuts her off before she can go further. There's something she wants to know. "Sensei, why was I the only one who didn't run?"

The teacher purses her lips. She taps the clipboard in her hands with the pen she had been using, gathering her thoughts. Discerning what she can say and what not. Sachiko knows the pattern.

"Your parents asked specifically not to let you make any heavy exercise. You should know that by now Sachiko."

The not-answer. Not what she's looking for.

"I know that but… I want to know…" she bites her lower lip, looking at the ground. Her hands clench at her sides, her eyes getting harder as she looks up again, this time determined. "Why? They never tell me anything. I want to know why I can't play with my friends anymore. I want to know why I won't be assisting middle school with them this April. I want to know…" she abruptly closes her mouth, feeling that unnecessary sense of shame at raising her voice, even if it was just slightly. Her mother wouldn't be happy about that.

The teacher sighs, bringing Sachiko's eyes once again towards her. Her eyes are soft; the kind of soft Sachiko has already learned associates with pity.

"It's not my place to say anything Sachiko. All the things you want to know, the good and the bad, those you should ask your parents" she walks up to her, before patting her kindly on the head. She smiles at her, but it doesn't reach her eyes. "Now go back to your classroom, I'm sure your classmates are worried about you taking so long."

Her classmates, right, of course they would be worried, they always are, just like the teachers, just like her parents.

She deflates, her chin lowering to her chest and a pout on her lips. "Ok sensei. Sorry for importuning you."

* * *

"Ah, I wonder if it's alright like this" Sachiko says, holding up the top of the sailor uniform she bought just the day before. She's not the best with a needle and a thread, but the few lessons she had with Siesta seems to have paid off. Across from her, the kind maid smiles, extending her hand and looking at her work once Sachiko gives it to her.

"Mm, it is good. Though it is a bit short" she comments, putting the shirt against her front and seeing it reaches almost to navel level. "Is it supposed to be like this?"

"Wait, so short?!" Sachiko jumps up, answering Siesta's question. The maid laughs softly upon seeing the younger girl looking at the shirt with distress. "Shoot, I didn't even realize it…"

"If it makes you feel better, the stitches are perfect. You did a good job Sachiko" she folds a few shirts and pants, stacking them neatly on a basket at her side, her face placid and voice light. Sachiko pouts, putting down the shirt and sighing. "It is quite unfortunate, but you have two other shirts you can work on to replace that one. Now that you know what to do it should be easier, no?"

"Um, maybe, but…" she bites her lips, before shaking her head. "Well, it doesn't matter, I can still use this one" she fists the piece of clothing in her hand, her eyes starting to glow determined. Siesta blinks, surprised.

"Are you sure? It might be a little…"

"Its fine, it's not like I'll be wearing it to go outside. Besides, it might not look so bad. With all the effort I put into this at the very least I want to see how I look with it" she grabs another piece of clothing, this time a skirt, and walks behind a screen, ready to change. She can hear Siesta humming behind it, her hands still working with the clean clothes.

"Alright, I won't stop you."

There's no malice in her tone, but Sachiko can hear slight amusement there. She shakes her head, taking off her parka and shirt, deciding to ignore the maid for now. She's a strange one for sure, quiet and calm but with the smallest touch of snark, enough to bite but not to sting. She should be grateful to her though. After all, she's letting her use the maids' private quarters in order to carry on this little experiment of hers. Staying the night wasn't the issue; the issue was convincing Louis she had something important to do for which she couldn't sleep that night with him. Siesta helped with her excuse, and for hours the two stayed awake, Sachiko sewing and mending and Siesta supervising her work.

It should be worth it though. Looking at herself in the mirror once she's done changing, she tilts her head to the side, tapping her lips wondering if there's something she's missing.

The lowered neck, ironed cuffs and shortened waist area are good. It doesn't look as bad once the getup is complete. Sure, a small portion of her belly can be seen, but it isn't a big deal, even if she feels slightly insecure. After all, unlike other girls, Sachiko has never been able to have a completely flat stomach, even though she's quite slender.

The skirt is one she has borrowed from Kirche. She would have asked her to lend it to her, but to her surprise, the redhead was not in the academy anymore, having left the day before with Tabitha somewhere. In any case, having so many she wouldn't notice one missing. It is shortened –as impossible as that may sound considering is _Kirche's_ skirt– reaching the line of her shorts.

She would have borrowed Kirche's school shoes as well, but unfortunately, she only had knee-high boots, so she had to settle for her blue tennis that match with the deep blue scarf of the uniform. And then, her normal cotton black stockings.

It should be perfect, but what is she missing?

"Oh" she takes out a hair tie and ties her hair in a high ponytail. Now it's perfect.

"Are you done Sachiko?" Siesta's voice drips off from the other side of the screen. It surprises her slightly, but then she snorts. Of course Siesta would like to see the final ensemble; after all, she did spend most of the night up helping her.

"Alright, what do you think?" she steps out and opens her arms, turning around so she can look at it from all angles. Siesta has a pensive expression on her face. It makes Sachiko a bit nervous, since the maid has that critical eye on her that she's gotten used to see whenever she's about to make a derogatory comment.

But instead she just smiles, closing her eyes and tilting her head to the side. "You look adorable. You were right; the short shirt does not hinder the ensemble at all."

Sachiko sighs in relief, turning around and looking at herself in the mirror. "Thank you Siesta… for everything."

"You're welcome. But, if you don't mind me asking" Sachiko looks at her again. Siesta has a small frown, her hands holding a shirt without folding it. Sachiko waits for her question, a little astounded at the woman's expression. "Why were you so adamant on wearing something like that? I won't deny the final result is not flattering, but to put so much effort on a simple uniform…"

"It's… something of my home" she explains lightly, a little distantly. "The girls at my country… they use this as a school uniform."

"Showing their navels and all?" Siesta asks, teasing. Sachiko blushes.

"Of course not! Just…" she fumbles a little, her hands moving up and down as she explains. "It's not exactly the same; however, I've always wanted to use one. You see, I never had the chance to wear this uniform because I didn't go to middle school and, and well, I guess I wanted to _feel_ how it would have been like and… when I saw the uniform then I thought I could try…" she looks to the side, her voice losing a little of volume. Her cheeks are red and her eyes a bit moist. Suddenly she feels ridiculous. What is she trying to achieve, using a sailor uniform just to fuel her fantasies?

While it's true she didn't go to middle school, it's not like she lost any classes. Soon after finishing elementary school she moved out with her grandmother who lived in the countryside. While she could have studied in a school there, her grandma didn't want her to go, so instead she was homeschooled all the three years until she moved back with her parents in time for her first year of high school. And her high school didn't have sailor uniforms.

And true, maybe not all middle schools had sailor uniforms, but the one her friends went to did, and she wanted to… at the very least… and the color was the same so how could she not?

Suddenly a laugh fills the room. Not unkind, but it's enough to get Sachiko embarrassed all over again. She looks at Siesta with a pout, her blush covering her cheeks.

"It's alright Sachiko, I think I can understand. I never went to school either" she confesses, her eyes taking on a longing glint. "It would have been nice going, but unfortunately I wasn't able to, not with my mother sick and my younger siblings needing me there."

Sachiko looks at her, feeling sad for her, deciding not to correct and tell her she actually _did go_ to school. It's a strange thing, finding people like Siesta or even Marteau, good people who didn't have the chance of a proper education and yet they're working on a school. Most of the commoners never learn how to read or write, from what she was able to hear in passing. It should not sound so foreign to her but it does, and she doesn't quite know what to make of it.

"Anyway" Siesta says, standing up and breaking the heavy atmosphere that had grown at their conversation. "With this done, I would like to excuse myself. It's a new day and there is plenty of work to be done" she passes by Sachiko's side, smiling at her, the basket at her hip. "I will see you around, Sachiko."

"Ah, yes, see you" she waves to the maid as she departs, before looking at herself in the mirror again. She turns this way and then the other, appreciating her figure, before looking at her tummy. She can grab a bit of fat and it's frustrating, but maybe she shouldn't be so concerned. "Though looking at myself like this… it does look more revealing than it should be" she says, turning her head to look at her back and pulling her skirt down a bit more. "It actually looks like those uniforms worn by…"

An idea struck her.

"Maybe… I can show Shiro?" she wonders, her eyes turning to the floor and then back to her blushing reflection. It wouldn't hurt to ask his opinion on her sailor uniform, right?

* * *

The thing about Shiro that many people don't know; is that he's a rather simple person.

For one reason or another though, people were always trying to write him off as being more than what he actually is. He doesn't need a lot to be happy, quiet conversation and a warm meal at the end of the day is enough to brighten up his mood. And yet, sometimes people expect extraordinary things of him; flamboyant tastes or egotistic necessities.

For one, he would much rather just sit under the shadow of a tree and take a nap than go out to town and drink, flirt, or gamble like some of his coworkers. It's not like he's not good with people, on the contrary; his line of work as well as his upbringing ensured he would always be in contact with many types of people. But sometimes, he just wanted nothing more than to be alone with his thoughts, something that, surprisingly, was very difficult for others to understand.

Ever since he could remember, people were always drawn to him, one way or another. Whether it was to dislike him or adore him, he was always surrounded by people. Even if he wanted to blend with the background, it was a difficult thing to do when you had a metaphorical target attached to your back at all times.

Especially with women.

He would lie if he said there wasn't a time he didn't take advantage of the effect he had on them, but, as cliché as it sounded, he ultimately got tired of their different attempts to get his attention, of them batting their eyelashes or being loud, pretending to be something they were not because they thought he would like it.

Which is the reason he took a liking to Sachiko so quickly.

Granted, she showed from the beginning that she was clearly interested in him, something that didn't differ from the behavior of other women in his life, but what was different about her was that, unlike the rest, she did not try to feign being something she was not to get his attention. She didn't actively seek him out and always respected his personal space. She was simple and showed her interest in quiet ways, and that was something Shiro liked, because it didn't make him feel pressured or like he was some kind of prize to win.

He liked her humility too, and her drive whenever faced with something she was passionate about. She was so sincere and straightforward, without seemingly ulterior motives. He didn't think it twice once he decided he wanted to be with her.

Which is why, right in this moment, he's more than just a little bit curious at her cheery behavior and closed lips, refusing to tell him why she dragged him out of work –with Marteau's enthusiastic permission, by the way– to bring him to a secluded part of Vestri Court. When he asked, she simply told him she had a surprise for him and hid behind a column, telling him to wait for her.

And he has been waiting. For little more than five minutes that feels like an eternity.

"You… look really elated today, Sachiko" the young man comments in a casual tone, leaning against a wall and observing the bright blue sky above. It's not that he's anxious; he simply is trying to make small conversation while waiting. He has an idea of what Sachiko's 'surprise' is, by the sound of rustling behind the column.

Sachiko giggles.

"Well, yes. You see, yesterday I went to Tristania, and I bought these nice clothes… I wanted your opinion" she comments in an innocent voice. Shiro is not so inexperienced not to notice she's up to something, but he feigns innocence too, playing into her game.

"Is that so? Then I'm glad. I'm very curious about what kind of clothes you like to wear" or what kind of clothes she wants to show him specifically. He reprimands himself as soon as a certain, little spicy scenario plays out in his mind. It's too soon, he shouldn't be thinking like that.

His thoughts are interrupted by Sachiko, who finally steps out with a big smile. She giggles and spins around, letting her skirt lightly fly in the air.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" she sings in between more giggles. She halts, and puts her hands behind her back, leaning slightly forward. "What do you think of my new clothes?" she asks coquettishly, slightly fluttering her eyelashes.

However, much to Sachiko's disappointment, Shiro's only reaction is a simple; "Oh, is that a military uniform?" question with a tilt of the head and a curious gleam in his eyes.

She pouts.

"Well, it is but…" she bites the inside of her cheek, a bit of her doubts from before coming back. Shiro realizes this, and although he doesn't know what brought this, he keeps pretending, knowing he will compensate her by the end.

"There's something wrong Sachiko?" he asks with a confused expression. Sachiko's cheeks heat up, unsure of how to tell him she was trying to seduce him now that her plan has failed, but there is no need for that, as he approaches her and leisurely puts his hands on her waist, gently tugging her until she has to use her hands to stop her chest from touching his.

"S-Shiro?" she asks in a high-pitched voice, her courage flying out the window as soon as she sees his eyes roaming over her figure, heating her skin and setting her heart to overdrive.

"Although, I must admit, your reinterpretation of a military uniform is quite the curious one. How come the skirt is so short?" he teases, one of his hands leaving her side to playfully flip one end of the skirt. Sachiko gasps, and instinctively slaps his hand off, sparking a low, masculine chuckle from him. "What's the problem Sachiko? Weren't you trying to get a reaction out of me by wearing this?"

"That's not… I mean…" she purses her lips, seeing his cheeky smile. He isn't wrong, but the way he says it is annoying her. Why does she feel like he's treating her like a child? Giving him a small but determined smile, she presses her chest against his and looks up, biting her lip. "So…" she pronounces slowly, playfully. "Do you like it?"

"I'm not sure" he makes a face as if he's contemplating this, which immediately destroys Sachiko's small determination. He chuckles, enjoying her reactions way too much. "I like that it shows more skin than is appropriate, but at the same time, I kinda don't like it because of that."

"Moo, stop playing with me" she puffs her cheeks and lightly hits him on the chest with her fists. Shiro chuckles again, this time louder, and Sachiko lets out a squeak when he presses her against him again, this time more firmly.

"I'm not playing with you, I'm being a hundred percent honest" he says, trying to put on a serious face, but the corners of his lips are twitching too much for Sachiko to believe him. Before she can chew him off, Shiro speaks again, this time really getting serious. "But what I'm saying it's true. Don't wear something like this outside… I mean, it is nice and you look very cute" her cheeks heat up again at his compliment, and Shiro can't help but smile tenderly at this, "but you don't need to wear this kind of thing, not for me, or at least not for now… and definitely not out here where anybody could come at any second and see you" he looks around, as if making sure they're completely alone, and Sachiko feels a small warmth spreading in her chest at his words.

She can tell he's surprised when she stands on her tiptoes and kisses him tentatively, but luckily for her he doesn't push her away, instead kissing her back, hugging her tightly.

Of course, the kiss doesn't take long to become more heated, and, to Sachiko's astonishment, Shiro suddenly backs her against the wall, a hand on the dip of her hip and the other on her nape, taking a hold of her hair and messing her ponytail a little. It's strange; he's not being brusque despite his initial approach, but his kisses are passionate, bruising tenderly and leaving her breathless. She tries her best to kiss him back, getting bold when his tongue presses against her lower lip and she grants him entrance, but after that she's lost. She has never French-kissed before.

"S-Shiro…" she pants when he retreats to breath. His lips are back on hers almost immediately, and she can feel his hands starting to roam both her back and her waist.

"It's alright" he says in between kisses. "Just… follow my lead…"

And she does just that, losing herself in the moment, thinking of nothing else but him, his hands, his slippery tongue, the warmth of his embrace and…

"EHEM!" that's a cough, a rather loud one, just behind them.

They separate immediately. Fearing the worse, Sachiko prepares herself for the impeding rage of Louis, but when she turns around, she just sees Guiche and Malicorne awkwardly standing there, their faces flushed and looking at them with a strange combination of anger and… excitement?

"…" Shiro doesn't say anything, but he's frowning, his body instinctively getting closer to hers, as if protecting her. This makes Sachiko feel bolder, and with a huff, she raises her chin and looks down on them.

"Ugh, what are you doing here? You completely ruined the mood" she complains, folding her arms. Their eyes follow that small movement, delighting themselves in the way her arms slightly squeeze her breasts. She hastily puts them at her sides, feeling utterly disgusted. "Well? Are you going to answer or will I have to make you?"

At that, the two wake up from their stupor. Guiche clears his throat.

"Sachiko, this behavior is completely unbecoming of a lady. Really, showing this kind of display in the middle of the day in a public place is just another reassurance of your low upbringing and…"

"…Someone really wants to be pummeled right now…"

"…and moreover, doing it in that outfit! What's with that outfit?" he demands furiously, but also at the verge of tears. Malicorne nods in agreement, seemingly as moved as Guiche. Sachiko rolls her eyes.

"A sailor uniform" she explains lifting a corner of her skirt. Their eyes are drawn automatically to that part. Sachiko has to make a real effort not to gag, especially when Malicorne starts to tremble, and pointing a finger in her direction, stutters.

"Y-you can't possibly wear that in a public place! I-It numbs the brain, in-incapacitates rational thinking a-and…"

"And I don't want to be rude, Mr. Grandpre, but I sincerely ask of you not to speak that way about Sachiko" Shiro says in an even tone, speaking for the first time since the other two arrived. The boys turn their eyes towards him, as if noticing his presence for the first time, which is ridiculous, since they caught them kissing just a few minutes ago.

"And who are you supposed to-" Malicorne says, frowning. Sachiko sputters, not wanting Shiro to get in trouble for 'disrespecting' a noble, and quickly grabs his arm, making an attempt to turn around.

"Well, would you look at the time? It was nice talking to you guys and everything, but we better leave…"

"No!" Guiche suddenly screams. He advances and grabs her shoulders, separating her from Shiro in the process, before shaking her roughly. "I would have never thought in using a military uniform this way! Sachiko, you're a bloody genius!" he keeps yelling. The girl immediately takes a step back, releasing herself from his grasp, and caresses one of her mistreated shoulders.

"Yeah, yeah, now if you excuse us, we have-"

"Sachiko, you're my friend" the blond interrupts her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders in a friendly manner. Sachiko glares at him. "You will understand this… 'Sailor uniform' is a deadly weapon. Having something like this in your power, I was wondering, since we're such good friends, well…" he's fidgeting, the excitement taking over his words. Sachiko grimaces.

"Don't tell me you want one" she pleads blankly. Guiche laughs loudly.

"Oh my dear Sachiko how you… yes I want one" he says in a serious tone, eyeing her sternly. She crosses her arms.

"Why? Are you planning to give it to Monmon? Didn't she dump you again because you were flirting with another girl just when she wanted to go to Tristania's festival with you yesterday?"

"It's Montmorency! And I wasn't flirting, just…! Ugh, whatever, what I'll do with the sailor uniform is not your business!" he says this while blushing.

"I suppose, because I'm not giving you one!" she exclaims, pushing him away. She dusts herself, walking back to Shiro, when Malicorne, _Malicorne_ of all people, says the exact thing they need to convince her.

"I bet Louis doesn't know about this."

She freezes. Slowly, she turns around, and looks at them with narrowed eyes. Their smirks make her nauseous. They continue staring at each other for a while longer, Sachiko debating inside her what to do. Finally, she says, slowly, dangerously: "Give me the measurements and I'll give them to you this afternoon."

Malicorne smirks and Guiche pats her on the back. "I'll give them to you. See you later!" they laugh and only when they are no longer in sight Sachiko groans.

"You didn't have to give in to them you know" Shiro says once they're out of sight. Sachiko crosses her arms, pouting and looking very adorable with her puffed cheeks, in his opinion.

"I had to. I can't let them tell Louis, with how he is… he will surely get angry at me for doing this kind of thing…" she trembles just imagining being in the receiving end of one of his reprimands. He might not get physical but is still very unpleasant having him yell at her.

"…Does he hit you?" Shiro asks gravely. Sachiko blinks, turning to look at him and immediately raising her hands in a placating manner.

"What?! N-no, of course not! It's just… he can be a little overbearing at times and… he sometimes screams at me when I do something that displeases him…" she explains, looking down and playing with her fingers. Shiro frowns.

"He doesn't have a right to do that, master or not…"

"A-anyway, it's kind of late don't you think?" she turns her face skyward, judging the time by the position of the sun. "I need to go find Louis and you surely have work to do still, no?" she asks, obviously trying to change the subject. Shiro gives her a blank stare, but decides not to pursue the conversation… for now.

"Alright, guess I'll see you later then…"

"Yes, I'm just going to change and then we can talk again" she goes to hide behind the column once more, and while Shiro has the impulse to stay and wait for her, he decides against it, not wanting to make her uncomfortable and thus preventing them from talking about this again in the future. With a small farewell, he goes on his way, and Sachiko releases a sigh of relief, thanking the heavens he didn't insist.

It's not that she thinks Louis yelling at her is right, but she knows it's not as bad as it sounds, since she's the one living that situation. Explaining that to Shiro might require more time and a bit more of preparation on her part. The last thing she wants him to think is that she's somehow trapped in an abusive relationship of sorts, especially because that's not the case at all.

They're just… special in their way of interacting with each other… that's it, right?

* * *

The next day, something unbelievable happens.

Montmorency enters the classroom. Wearing the sailor uniform Sachiko had given Guiche a few days ago.

She chokes on her saliva while the rest of the class turns to look at the blonde with surprise. The reactions vary. The girls narrow their eyes and whisper to each other in anger and envy, while the boys blatantly stare and some even blush at the sight. It's not for less. Sachiko made the uniform with Guiche's measurements, and while Montmorency is more on the slender side compared to her, it hugs her figure tightly but comfortably, allowing the swell of her breasts to be more noticeable, showing the skin of her belly and the skirt being short enough it might give anybody (un)wanted glimpses if she turns too fast.

Sachiko has to give it to Monmon; even _she_ isn't bold enough to wear that one without her shorts… or in public. But what made her want to use it? To her understanding, Montmorency isn't the kind of girl to do stuff recklessly like parading herself in such skimpy clothes, not to mention she's also kind of a prude; so why?!

"Sachiko" Louis says, and the mere sound of his voice, even if at the moment appears more neutral than anything, sends chills down her spine. "Isn't that one of the uniforms you bought the other day in Tristania?"

Unlike everybody else, Louis has a curious gaze. He's frowning, but it seems to be more calculating than anything. It makes sense, considering he's not attracted to Montmorency so he wouldn't be ogling her like the boys, and has no reason to feel envy of the attention she's gathering like the girls.

"Why is Montmorency using it, then?" he asks after she nods, looking at the table instead of him. She shrugs.

"Oh, you see, Guiche asked me to give him one just a few days ago" she responds nonchalantly. Louis raises an eyebrow.

"And you gave it to him just like that?"

"Well, yes… I mean, he's my friend, and I never thought he would actually use it for something like this" she gives a nervous chuckle that just makes Louis wary, she can see. "I thought he wanted to pretend being a marine or something."

He narrows his eyes, debating inside his mind if he believes her or not. Sachiko is starting to sweat cold by this point. He opens his mouth, and Sachiko prepares herself to either confess and diminish her punishment or make a lie to get away from it, depending on what he says or asks.

Luckily, the teacher enters the classroom right then, allowing her the next hour of class to think about what she's going to do.

When class is about to finish, Sachiko reaches the painful conclusion that she has to get rid of the evidence. She doesn't have to worry about Guiche and Malicorne ratting her out, she'd made sure (threatened) they wouldn't say a word to Louis before giving them the uniforms, although that hadn't help her at all considering Montmorency decided to come _dressed in it._ But worse to worse, it's the only option she has. When classes are over Sachiko doesn't waste a second to stand up and run towards the kitchen. She has left the uniform with Siesta just in case things got nasty, and she's glad she took that precaution.

She hears Louis calling her, but she pretends not to listen to him and runs in the direction of the kitchen. Siesta should be there, considering lunch is just an hour away.

As she enters, she sees movement and can hear the clink and rustle of pans and pots being moved, of vegetables being cut and meat sizzling. The smell is delicious, and Sachiko has to close her eyes and inhale momentarily because it's _that_ good.

She immediately looks for Siesta.

"Hey Sachiko!" Marteau calls, seeing her wandering the kitchen with a worried expression. "Are you looking for Shiro? He's on the dining hall, setting the table."

"Hello Marteau… no, I'm not looking for Shiro. Actually, have you seen Siesta? I need to talk to her about something important…"

"Oh, little Siesta?" he leaves what he's doing momentarily and folds his arms, thinking. "I sent her to Tristania with a few other maids to buy some ingredients we were lacking. She should be coming back by sunset."

"It can't be…" she whispers forlornly. She needs to talk to her now, before Louis suspects more.

"Did you need to tell her something important?"

"Something like that…" she bites her lip, wondering what she can do, until an idea comes to mind. "You said Shiro is in the dining hall, right?"

"Yes, he is."

"Good, I'll just leave the message with him then" and giving a bow as thanks for his help, she sets off in the direction of the dining hall. She finds him quickly, being one of the tallest servants there, and having jet-black hair, something she realizes seems to be fairly uncommon in this world filled with blondes and the occasional redhead. "Shiro!"

"Sachiko?" he straightens after he has left a plate on one of the tables, looking at her with surprise. "Is something wrong? You look upset…"

"No, nothing's wrong, at least not yet, but I need you to tell Siesta something very important" she looks to both sides before getting in her tiptoes and whispering in his ear. "Do you remember the sailor uniform?"

"…" he holds back a remark about how _yes_ he does remember the sailor uniform and instead remains serious, seeing that she's being serious too. "Yes, I do remember."

"Well, I left it with Siesta in case of an emergency. I want you to tell her to give it back to me, tonight, if possible."

"…Is there an emergency?" he can't help but ask.

"Ehm… kind of, maybe… the point is! There's an empty warehouse in Vestri Court, near the main tower. I'll be waiting there tonight for the uniform. If she can't bring it…" she gulps, not wanting to think of that scenario. "Then she can do it tomorrow night, just… tell her not to do it anywhere public…"

"Ok… I'll tell her that" Sachiko nods, beaming at him, and Shiro smiles in return. "But really, what's going on? For you to suddenly want the uniform back" he narrows his eyes. Sachiko panics. She knows what's probably going through his mind now, and her instinct tells her now is not the right moment for another sermon about her strange relationship with her master. So instead she says the first thing she can think of, which, unfortunately, it's nothing more than broken sentences and poorly disguised attempts at changing the subject.

"I have a surprise! Ehm, no… actually, I'm planning something _really_ special with the uniform and…" she fidgets, looking at the ground.

"A surprise?"

"Mmm" she nods; "I want to… try something… eh, like what we did the other day but a bit _more_ …"

 _Damn;_ she thinks as soon as the words are out of her mouth. She raises her head hoping Shiro didn't interpret it the same way as she did, but it's hopeless, since his eyes are wide and his mouth hangs open.

"Sachiko… you don't mean…"

Her face explodes in color. "No! I mean, ugh!" she shakes her head and takes a step back, too flustered to keep looking him in the eyes. "I-In any case, tell her to be there tonight! We'll talk about this later!" and with that she bolts, leaving a stunned Shiro behind.

* * *

After Sachiko's more than suspicious display in class, Louis had no other option –or so he told himself– than to go look for her in search of answers. He _knows_ the explanation she gave him for giving a uniform to Guiche is not true. Sachiko can barely stand the guy at times, so there must be another reason she was made to give him one. And although he knows Guiche is a pervert, he doesn't think he's imaginative enough to come up with such a use for a military uniform. No, something fishy is going on, and he hates being made a fool of. So he's going to find out what Sachiko did and then demand why she lied to him.

He thinks of all the places she could be hiding after looking in his bedroom, despite being sure she wasn't there, just in case. Colbert's laboratory is his first option, seeing as she loves being there, but upon finding only Colbert doing some… thing he doesn't want to know he leaves, a bit traumatized and utterly confused.

The second place is the kitchen and staff room, but it's in vain. The servants literally adore her, so even if she's hiding in there he will never find out if she truly doesn't want him to talk to her. He thinks of going to the girls' dormitories for a second, but then remembers Kirche and Tabitha had been absent from the academy for almost a week, and he doesn't think Sachiko has any other female friend students to feel secure enough to hide there.

His last effort to find her, before having a rest and just waiting for her in his room, is in the wind tower, where classes are normally held. Despite its size, only a small part of the tower is actually used for classes, with a lot of spare rooms that are primarily used as storages, being the perfect place to hide in case one doesn't want to be found.

"What the…" he says while approaching the tower. He sees someone scurrying towards the back door. He immediately recognizes the collar and scarf of the military uniform, and frowns.

More than that he couldn't see the person's face, though he did see a mane of black hair. He wonders if it's Montmorency, but rapidly discards the idea. She has blond hair after all. Determined, he silently follows the person.

Going through the corridors, he hears a door opening and closing on the second floor. He cautiously approaches the place he knows to be a warehouse, and leans in slowly, trying to hear if the person is making any strange sound.

The answer is yes, and the sounds are so downright nauseating Louis starts to gag. A male's voice, calling something cute; and light moaning… He backs away, having enough and deciding to go back to his room already when he hears her name. Moaning, with a guy's voice.

He kicks the door open, making the person inside screech in terror.

"Ma-Malicorne?!" he shouts, starting to feel sick to the stomach. He's wearing the sailor shirt, a long black wig and… a skirt. Malicorne stutters and tries to escape, but stumbles with his own feet in his hurry. Louis takes advantage of this and without a second thought or care stomps on his back. Malicorne chokes while the boy continues kicking and screaming. "Just what do you think you're doing here, alone, wearing a skirt and moaning my familiar's name?!"

"Oh, ouch, it's just argh! She has a strong personality and r-really nice body, augh!" he tries to say, finding it hard to talk when Louis' kicks just keeps getting rougher. When Louis hears Malicorne saying that about Sachiko, he practically boils inside.

"So you came here, used the liar's mirror!" he points at the mirror on the rear of the room, famous for showing distorted images, such as beautiful things being ugly and vice versa. "And pretended you were Sachiko w-w-while y-you…!" he's trembling, his face as frightening as an ogre, at least from Malicorne's point of view, and takes out his wand. He's ready to test his new void powers in this disgusting man. Malicorne shrieks, not knowing about the void but being completely aware of Louis' tendency to make things explode, and fears for his life.

"B-but I have no one else! Guiche has Montmorency, a-and your familiar that servant boy, if I don't wear it then-!" he's desperate. He knows Sachiko will kill him for this after specifically ordering them to be quiet, but Louis will kill him too if he doesn't say anything, so he takes the risk.

"Servant boy?" Louis pronounces slowly. Malicorne gulps. It failed. He can feel the murderous intent emanating from the young man on top of him. He closes his eyes, waiting for the end.

An explosion resonates throughout the academy.

* * *

' _You should give it back to her Shiro, I'm sure Sachiko would be_ _ **delighted**_ _if you do…'_

"That damned Siesta, just what is her head full of?" Shiro complains under his breath as he makes his way towards the warehouse Sachiko told him of. He's carrying the sailor uniform in a bag while trying to contain his irritation with the perverted maid. Surely she (purposely) misinterpreted him when he told her Sachiko needed the uniform back for a 'surprise' she was preparing.

Not that he's complaining; he was planning to tell her to give the uniform to him instead, wanting to talk to Sachiko about the real reason she wanted it back in the first place. Still, Shiro does not like being made fun of like that.

 _Whatever, I'm almost there._

Of course, after clearing his head and putting his thoughts back in order, Shiro understood Sachiko did not mean anything by the proposition she unwittingly spilled to him. It was probably just an excuse she came up with in the heat of the moment to divert his attention from the question of the uniform. Though, he has to admit that for a second there, it sounded really appealing…

"Get a hold of yourself…" he whispers just as he stops in front of the door of the warehouse. He doesn't need to be a genius to realize Sachiko is utterly inexperienced when it comes to intimacy. Just her kisses, sweet but clumsy and unsure, are enough to confirm to him that he's very likely the first man she has ever kissed, and if not, very close to it. He doesn't want her to feel as if she has to rush through things, and tonight seems as good as any other to make that clear.

He hesitates, wondering if he should just enter or knock, but seeing the secrecy involved in all of this, he just shrugs and opens the door, stepping inside. His eyes narrow at the lack of light, a single window illuminating the room, and looks around, searching for Sachiko. She's still not there, only barrels and a few crates scattered around.

He almost has a heart attack when a figure suddenly emerges from one of the barrels. Sachiko hops off it, all the time wearing a smile on her cute face.

"Shiro!" she exclaims, clearly surprised. "What are you doing here? Where is Siesta?" she asks, looking behind him as if the maid would be hiding there. Shiro doesn't answer, instead raising a hand to his chest, feeling his heart thundering.

"Sachiko, you almost scared me to death there!"

"Oh…" she bites her lips, glancing down. "I-I'm sorry… but I didn't want anybody else knowing I was here and asking me questions…"

"Don't worry, just… give a little warning next time, ok?" he exhales, feeling the organ going back to normal and smiling at her. "Siesta had something to do tonight, so she asked me to bring the uniform to you instead" he raises the bag as if to reaffirm this. Sachiko nods.

"I see. Well, in that case…" she tries to grab the bag, but Shiro quickly moves it back, away from her. "Shiro… aren't you going to give me the uniform?"

"I will, but first I have a few questions."

"…" she remains silent for a few seconds, her brows scrunched and her lips in a cute, pensive pout. Then, she opens her mouth. "Whatever you're thinking, it's not true" she says. Shiro raises an eyebrow.

"Oh, what am I thinking?"

"I told you already… Louis might be a bit rough around the edges but he's a nice guy… he's just…" she bites her lip, holding her left arm with her right hand and looking away; "a little annoying at times."

"So because he's annoying, you want to get rid of this uniform before he has the opportunity to complain?" he guesses, starting to understand. Sachiko nods.

"Montmorency came today to class wearing the uniform I gave Guiche. Louis is way too intelligent not to realize what's going on, and he also has a stick way up his…" she shakes her head, sighing. "I know he won't be happy that his familiar has such a… _unbecoming_ behavior, but more than confiscating it and chewing me up a little, there shouldn't be any more problems."

"He sounds like a whimsical child if you ask me" Shiro states with a roll of the eyes. Sachiko blinks, surprised at his tone. "Familiar or not, taking so many precautions just because he wouldn't like this seems very ridiculous to me. He should learn to be an adult and not get angry for such small things. And you" Sachiko takes a step back when his eyes land on her, they're not harsh, but it still makes her back away out of surprise; "don't be so scared of a small reprimand. If you know something you do will have consequences, then don't do it or at the very least be ready to face them."

Sachiko lowers her eyes, crossing her arms and puffing her cheeks. What's suddenly going on with Shiro? She doesn't need him to be scolding her like a child. He's her boyfriend, not her dad. It reminds her of the time he told her not to bathe on the courtyard at night. She feels just as… stupid.

"Sachiko…"

"Uhhh, I heard you already" she pouts, turning her face away. "You don't need to scold me either, I get it. I won't do it again."

"I don't want you to feel like I'm telling you off or anything…"

"No, I get it" she stays in the same position for another few seconds before sighing and dropping her arms to the sides. "I really do, and I'm sorry for acting like this. I understand what you're saying but… it's easier said than done, you know? And Louis is…" she shudders; "well, I don't think I need to tell you more, do I?"

"No, I can still remember that day before we went treasure hunting perfectly well" he says flippantly… though his eyebrows are twitching slightly. "Real charming, isn't he?"

"…"

"What?"

"Nothing" she takes the bag from his hands now that he's distracted and opens it, preferring not to tread over that mine. "In any case, I wonder what I will do with this…"

"If you want my opinion, you should have just left it with Siesta. I doubt that master of yours would go inspecting the servants' private quarters" he says as he leans against the wall, crossing his arms. Sachiko immediately looks at him as if he's crazy.

"I can't do that! The night I was making the uniforms I made up an excuse so he would let me stay with Siesta, so that's the first place he's going to look if he finds out! And knowing Siesta, she'll be more than happy to sell me out to him just to see me squirm!"

"…Ok…" it's not out of the realm of possibility, knowing Siesta's character, but looking even in the servants' quarters is a _little_ … "If you don't want to get rid of it… I could keep it for you" he offers, seeing her anxiousness. Sachiko halts, thinking about it seriously. Shiro uses this chance to kneel next to her, looking at the uniform in her hands a bit more thoroughly. "Though I got to ask, why is it so important? Do you really want to use it with me so badly?" the last question is asked cheekily. Sachiko blushes and glares at him; but all it does is amuse him.

"It's not like that!" then, as if remembering her words from this afternoon, her blush increases. "S-Shiro, what I said during lunch, it wasn't…"

"Don't worry, I know you weren't trying to come onto me or anything" he assures her, still smiling. "I must admit though, I was a little surprised, but after thinking about it, I understood you were just making excuses not to tell me what you actually wanted to do. Or was it all part of the plan? Did you wanted me to come here pretending to be innocent?"

"Uhhh" Sachiko drops the uniform and covers her face with her hands, wanting to disappear. Why is Shiro teasing her so much? _Is it because we're a couple now? Is this what boyfriends normally do with their girlfriends?_ The concept makes a small prickle develop in her chest. It's nice, mostly, but there's also a bit of uneasiness buried there that she can't pinpoint where it comes from; like she's about to dive into the unknown.

"Relax Sachiko, I'm just teasing you" Shiro tries to ease her, but it just gets him another groan from her. He can't help but laugh. "But seriously, I… I think maybe it might be a good idea to have a small talk about… _that_."

"About… what?" Sachiko asks slowly, lifting her head from the protective cocoon of her hands. Shiro shrugs, attempting to look nonchalant.

"I think with recent events… _especially_ where that uniform is concerned" he points to the uniform in the floor with his chin; "it's become clear we're approaching that territory, maybe not so slowly. And since… well, you're quite _inexperienced…_ "

"Wait a minute, I… you're talking about…?" Sachiko can't believe what she's hearing. Her face is bright red and steam starts to come out of her ears. It's not like she doesn't think about… _that_ from time to time. She does. Actually, she thinks about it quite often. Well, maybe more than quite often. Especially since they started going out and considering Shiro is such a _fine_ specimen of the male species how could she not? And of course he's talking about the attempts at seduction with the sailor uniform but that was most of all for fun though she did wanted to get lost in the moment once the temperature had risen, and come to think of it, what does he mean inexperienced? I mean she is but is it that obvious? And does he have any experience? He certainly behaves like it, if she goes by his kisses and the way he so expertly holds her waist and brings her closer to him… Ugh she's starting to overheat again just thinking about it! But if he wants to talk does that mean he thinks about doing it with her too? Does he want her? Does he think she's attractive? He must, but even so to have this conversation so suddenly and with the light off and oh my they're alone in a confined space what will she do is he tries to-?!

"SACHIKO!" said girl jumps at least two meters in the air at the surprise of being called so suddenly. She turns to Shiro, who is looking at her with a concerned expression, and her face becomes red all over again just by the intensity of his eyes. "Sorry about that, but you were mumbling so much and… I didn't want to make you uncomfortable or anything, I just thought it would be a good idea to discuss a few things about intimacy, just as reference for the future. You know… that's what couples usually do…" he explains, his own cheeks gaining a bit of color as he looks away.

Something in his new chaste response stirs a small flutter from Sachiko, as well as another more primal feeling she's going to push away for the moment. She swallows her nerves, joins her hands in front of her chest and chases his eyes, leaning slightly towards him, trying to be the bold one for once. "I'm sorry Shiro, I know I… I overreacted and…" then her eyes grow wide. "Wait a minute, I was mumbling? How much did you hear?!"

Surprisingly enough, or maybe not so much, Shiro chuckles, turning to look at her again. This time, it's Sachiko who feels like being chaste. "I find you attractive Sachiko. Please don't ever doubt that. I don't want to sound condescending but it's not difficult to tell you don't have much experience in the intimacy department. Yes, I can tell because I already have experience. Not a lot, mind you, but enough to know what I'm doing and if my partner is new at this or not. I'm not going to touch you now though, and I will never unless you want to and feel prepared for it. That's why we talk about it, to know where we stand in this. And that's exactly the point I wanted this conversation to head to. Sachiko, don't feel pressured just because everything is new for you or because you think it's what I want. We can take things slow… go at our own rhythm. And if you ever feel uncomfortable or want to stop… all you need to do is say it. I will always listen to you."

Sachiko blinks, a bit lost after everything he has said. For a moment she doesn't know what to say. Then she simply looks away, biting her lip and trying to come up with an appropriate answer. "…Ok…" she whispers, locking her eyes on her hands at her lap, because she doesn't think she can hold his eyes after hearing all of that. She's sure her face is the color of a ripe tomato by now, but she feels reassured, not having realized she needed to hear all that. Still, there's something she needs to make sure of. "But… won't you feel frustrated by my inexperience? I mean, I might bore you since you already know what to do…"

"Whoa there Sachiko, it's true I'm a _fine, amazing_ specimen of the male species, but I'm not quite at the level of an experienced stud yet" he laughs as Sachiko screams in mortification, before getting serious again. "Even if I have experience, that doesn't mean I know everything. I can teach you, and we can learn together too. So stop worrying so much. You'll get wrinkles before time" he jokes, poking her on the forehead. Sachiko winces, but returns the gesture with a smile. They remain in that comfortable silence for a little longer, before she speaks again.

"Thanks Shiro" he nods, smiling back at her. Then, Sachiko licks her lips, tilting her head and leaning closer. "Say, we can take our time, right?" she asks in a small voice, trying to look enticing. Because the conversation they just had has left her with a feeling of fullness in her chest, and she doesn't quite know what to do to convey how she feels right now to him other than; "can we kiss? I mean… like today with the sailor uniform… you know…"

"Just kiss?" Shiro asks, leaning closer, although he already knows the answer. Sachiko nods again, and he gives her a charming smile on response. "Of course, you don't even have to ask."

By the time they are well into the kiss, Shiro's hands on her lower back and the back of her neck, and Sachiko's running through his hair, the sailor uniform has been completely forgotten. This is an activity Sachiko can say likes very much. Kissing is pleasant, magical, and with Shiro is especially sensual. She likes it that he takes it slow for her sake, so she can properly run her tongue along the side of his or feel as he playfully traps her lower lip with his teeth.

Unfortunately, all nice things must finish, and the end to their small make-up session came abruptly in the form of a door being slammed with enough force to break it from its hinges, and an aura so dark it could swallow the sun.

Louis stands there, chillingly calm, not even trembling, with his wand held tightly in his right hand and his eyes _burning._

Sachiko cowers instantly.

Shiro recoils, surprised at the intensity that emanates from the young nobleman. He's been in a war, battling for his life, fighting even mages with powers far superior to him when he was nothing but a brat that had just left the nest, but this is in a completely different level. Suddenly, he can understand all of Sachiko's fears. But this seems to far exceed a simple reprimand.

He looks at Sachiko, and a connection flows between them before they stand up, dusting themselves and looking at each other with a nod.

"Right" Sachiko says.

"Left" Shiro responds in kind.

And they run.

Of course, with her luck, Sachiko soon finds herself the object of pursuit of the demon that wants to kill her in the most inhuman ways. That he chose her over Shiro only furthers her fear.

"Wait!" he screams. Sachiko trembles. _Like I'm going to do that! If I wait, I'll die!_ She's desperately trying to lose him, making wild turns and using small, hidden hallways, but it seems impossible. She keeps running until she makes her way over a private Court in between the fire and earth towers, where she finally sees light. Candlelight. She sighs in relief, hoping he won't do anything too extreme if there are witnesses.

Montmorency and Guiche are sitting at a small table. By the looks of it, it's a romantic dinner, their dishes empty while they enjoy a glass of wine and hold hands, Guiche whispering sweet nothings in Montmorency's ears. When they hear a noise approaching them, they look up, and almost don't have time to dodge Sachiko who jumps over the table, landing safely on the other side. She cowers behind Montmorency, watching in horror as Louis finally catches up with her.

"What is the meaning of this?" Monmon yells, affronted. They don't listen to her.

"Come here, _now_ " Louis says in a low growl. Sachiko shakes her head.

"No way, I'm too young to die!" she cries out. Guiche stands up.

"Now, now Louis, I don't know what happened between you two and I don't really care but, could you please go somewhere else? We're having a private di-" his words get stuck in his throat when Louis sends him a venomous glare that literally makes him cry in fear. He sits down again, already praying for the eternal rest of that poor girl's soul.

Louis returns his eyes to Sachiko, "you're coming to me, or _I'll go_ _to you_ " he speaks in a colder, collected tone that chills everyone present to the bone. Sachiko's breathing hitches up, and shakily steps aside.

"C-co-come on, L-Louis, c-ca-can't w-we even discuss th-this c-calmly? Look! Th-there's even wine!" she says feigning cheerfulness, before grabbing Guiche's glass and drinking it all in one go. Montmorency's eyes grow wide in horror, and she rapidly stands up and gets away from her line of vision. Sachiko puts the glass back on the table, unconsciously making eye contact with Guiche. "S-see? No-not bad…" she drawls, her eyes fixing on him. Guiche raises an eyebrow, wondering why she's staring so intently at him, while Montmorency drags a hand down her face and Louis looks at them, his anger devitalizing at the strange scene taking place before him.

"Um, do I have something on my face?" Guiche asks nervously. Sachiko blinks, before blushing and quickly shaking her head.

"N-no! Your face is perfect, like the rest of you…" she says, her countenance softening and embracing him all of a sudden. The two males freeze at this, but Montmorency knows exactly what's happening.

"W-w-w-wha-what is th-the meaning of this?!" Louis shouts, going over to them and roughly yanking Sachiko away. She cries, stubbornly clinging to a still perplexed Guiche. Montmorency bites her lip, before positioning a calming hand on Louis' shoulder. He turns to look at her, almost desperate, and she leans in to whisper something in his ear. He blinks, shocked. After a moment, he releases Sachiko, who happily keeps clinging to Guiche, and faces Montmorency with the sternest look somebody has ever given her. "You. Are. An. Idiot."

She cringes at his words. "I-I didn't try to do anything wrong! It was an experiment, ok?" she tries to defend herself, but Louis' glare doesn't falter.

"Am, guys…" Guiche says, but they ignore him.

"You think I care about that?! It's illegal and you know it! When the Queen finds out…!"

"Please, guys…"

"You wouldn't!" Montmorency exclaims, her eyes wide.

"If you could just listen to me…" Guiche uselessly tries again.

"Luckily for you I'm a pretty generous person. If you make the antidote then the Queen will never know" Louis bargains, crossing his arms. Montmorency's eye twitches.

"Y-you're trying to blackmail me!" she accuses.

"Not trying, _I'm doing it._ "

"Can you just listen to me!" Guiche yells suddenly, growing sick of being ignored. The other two turn to him, and at the same time shout.

"NOT NOW!"

He cringes, before sighing. They keep discussing whatever subject they are so intent about, and all the while, Sachiko is still hugging him, her head resting on his chest, her eyes closed in what appears to be bliss and a peaceful smile on her face. He tries standing up; but she just clings harder to him. He pouts.

"Sachiko, could you please…?" he starts saying, but she shakes her head.

"I can't believe I never noticed how handsome you are. How did you call it once? A rose?" she says, looking up with a blushed face. Guiche blinks, confused, but it doesn't take long for him to puff his chest in pride. He is a pretty vain guy, after all.

"Exactly, a rose, for the enjoyment of everyone" he declaims dramatically. Then, he opens his eyes and looks at her with surprise. "Don't tell me you've fallen for me!" he exclaims in a bewildered tone. Sachiko looks down and bashfully nods. He chuckles. "I see, well, I cannot blame you, it was inevitable, after all. But you have to understand" he holds her shoulders, a sad expression on his countenance "love between people from different status always ends up in tragedy. Although your love for me makes me happy, it will never work. You know I already have Montmorency too."

"I-I know!" she exclaims with little tears in her eyes, also playing the drama. "But Guiche, even if my love for your will never blossom, let me take solace in your presence! As long as I stay with you… that should be enough for me…" she whispers longingly. Guiche smiles, and tenderly caresses her hair.

"I don't want to force you…"

"If it's you, it will never be forced…" she smiles, leaning into his contact. Just then, two people hit them on the head, rendering them unconscious. Louis and Montmorency had finished discussing what they were going to do long ago, and had heard most of their stupid conversation. Needless to say, they're both pretty irritated.

"This is all your fault" Louis deadpans. Montmorency spares him a glare.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever, it's not like you helped with that mad chase from earlier, either. Ugh…" she shakes her head, feeling a migraine coming. "Anyway, we'll think about this better tomorrow. See you later" she says, levitating Guiche and walking away towards the boy's room. Louis hosts Sachiko up and follows her, angering her since she doesn't want him to walk with her anywhere. "What are you doing?! Don't come with me!" she yells. Louis rolls his eyes.

"Going to my room" he walks past her, not bothering in giving her a second glance. Montmorency halts, feeling embarrassment at such an obvious answer, before continuing sulkily. She leaves the table for the servants to clean up tomorrow.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello everyone. Ehm, four months right? Haha... please don't hit me. I swear I don't take so long because I want to. At least I'm back no? Aaaaand well... there are a few things I want to clear up now that the chapter is finished:**

 **I tried to make Shiro's dislike for Louis as similar as the original Siesta's dislike for Louise in the beginning. The maid was always quite snarky whenever Louise was involved back then, wasn't she? On the other hand, I included that entire conversation about Shiro being worried Louis is harming Sachiko somehow because I think any normal boyfriend (or girlfriend) would be if their SO was in a similar situation, of course, taking away the "for the laughs" trope usually into place that prevented anyone from being the slightest bit worried about Saito. I almost didn't include the conversation about intimacy, because I thought it was annoying dedicating so many words to it, but then, in the original Siesta was just going to give up her virginity to Saito only with a misunderstanding backing her up, and since in here Shiro and Sachiko ARE in a relationship I thought it would be wiser if Shiro wanted to discuss things a little before getting to the action.**

 **Louis knows Sachiko and Shiro are going out, he doesn't like it, but it's not like he can really do anything about it. Of course, that doesn't stop him from being jealous in an almost pathological level, so when he interrupted them while they were kissing in the warehouse? Yup, jealousy at its peak. Beacuse he'll be damned if they _do it_ while on his watch. The excuse he's giving himself is that he can't allow a familiar of la Vallière** **to do something so shameful before marriage.**

 **And we see a little more of Sachiko's past. I'm saying it now, I'm avoiding the "ill girl" trope so that's not what made Sachiko move out with her grandma. There's another reason, but everything in due time.**

 **I included Siesta because Sachiko needs at least one female friend within the staff.**

 **And Sachiko was affected by the love potion. I got a few reviews and PMs asking me if she was going to, and not to do it because the potion was going to interfere with the runes or something like that...? Ehm, guys, the runes don't work that way in canon. Literally the only place I've read they brainwash Saito into a mindless zombie is here, in fanfiction. While it's true they _do_ have an effect on Saito, it's not as extreme as some fanfics paint it out to be. In any case, my runes work slightly differently than in the novels, so I know Sachiko won't be affected negatively, in case you're worrying about that.**

 **And that's it. Thank you so much to everyone who left reviews the last chapter! They were all so beautiful, and I'm sorry I didn't find the time to answer them, I'm really, honestly sorry T.T I promise to try and get better. Until the next chapter!**


	22. Chapter 21: Spellbound Sachiko

**A/N: E** **cchi and amusing injuries abound. Navigate with caution.**

* * *

 **The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage**

 **Chapter 21: Spellbound Sachiko**

 **...**

The light of the early morning caresses her face, causing her to groan as a slightly upset expression takes over her features. Sachiko rolls on her side, slowly blinking as she awakens, her skin feeling the contact with the soft sheets underneath her and a small sound of satisfaction leaves her lips at the cool feeling they provide.

She can't remember absolutely anything she did last night, but it feels like her body desperately needed a break, and she managed to get it yesterday before going to sleep. With a light hum, she stretches her arms and legs, her back curving slightly at the tension. After doing this, she sighs, and sits up.

Only for something around her neck preventing her from even doing that much.

 _What the…_ she thinks, her eyebrows furrowing as a hand reaches her neck. There she can feel it. Made of leather, with a chain intertwined in the material and the line following until reaching one of the bedposts, tying her tightly to the bed.

She's trapped.

Just when she's panicking, wondering how in the world she got into this kind of situation, her ears catch a small sound just by her side. Getting an idea of what, or rather who, is making such a sound, she slowly turns around, her eyes following a lump under the sheets until it finds a chest, covered by a white nightshirt with the first buttons loose, showing delicate collarbones, and the flawless skin that covers lean muscles underneath. It goes up, reaching a chin, a pair of plump, rosy lips, a shapely nose, eyelashes long and curved, and it finally stops at a mate of wavy, strawberry-blond locks that under the morning sun appear more pink than blond.

Louis is sleeping soundly, unbothered of her entrapped state.

Seeing this, Sachiko does the only logical thing she can think of.

She raises a fist and deliberately drives her whole body weight on his stomach.

Louis spurts, his eyes opening and a choked noise escaping his throat. His body convulses, extending involuntarily at the sudden attack, before flexing on his abdomen as his arms hug the damaged zone, his eyes filling with moisture and his teeth rattling at the force with which he closes his jaw.

All of this happened in just the expanse of two seconds.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Louis shouts, hugging himself and groaning, burying his face on the pillow. Sachiko huffs, crossing her arms and looking at him with contempt.

"What is _wrong_ with _me_? If I remember correctly, I was not the one to knock you unconscious not once but _twice_ , and on top of that, chaining me to your bed the second time!" she yells in retort. As the morning fog is clearing from her senses, she starts to remember the events that unfolded just the day before. The first time he knocked her out was at Vestri Court, when she was declaring her love for Guiche, and the second was when she woke up after that one, and tried to run off to Guiche's room.

Louis growls, slowly sitting up and glaring at her with furious eyes. Yes, of course he remembers. She was trashing and wiggling so badly when she woke up sometime in the middle of the night, fighting him fiercely when he tried to keep her from wandering the academy searching for Guiche's room, of course he had no other option than to knock her out and chain her for when she inevitably woke up again and tried to do the same.

"What else did you want me to do? With the way you were behaving yesterday, you could have seriously hurt me!"

"Would have been your own fault" she hisses distastefully. Louis rolls his eyes, getting up from bed. He washes his face first and then walks towards his wardrobe, the pain receding as the seconds tick by. "Hey, aren't you going to unchain me?"

"Nope" he says nonchalantly. Sachiko gasps.

"How can you not?! This is horrible! What if I need to pee?!"

"Oh please" he snorts, starting to undress, before suddenly remembering something. With a nervous glance at her, he quickly enters the wardrobe and leaves the door semi-open, changing inside. He knows she doesn't care in normal days, being under the influence of a love potion making it more so, but still, he can't find himself willing enough to change in front of her, as ridiculous as it sounds.

"What do you mean by that?!"

"I mean I won't unchain you, no matter how much you're trying not to show you just want to run right up to Guiche's arms" he explains, finishing with the change of clothes and leaving the wardrobe. He does it in time to see Sachiko's cheeks flood with color, her eyes showing both embarrassment and a little of longing at the name. He scoffs. "You're so obvious."

"I-I-I don't k-know what you're talking a-about…"

"Don't play pretend. You thought I wouldn't notice your real intentions? Really, don't take me for a fool."

"Psss, fine" she pouts, seeing that she doesn't have to hold herself back anymore now that he has seen through her. "But come on, you really won't unchain me? I promise I won't be a bother. I just… I want to…" her eyes fill with tears, a blush adorning her cheeks as she looks at him, pleading. The sight makes Louis' heart skip a beat, but he composes himself, knowing he must resist. "I know already I can't be with him no matter how much I want to, that's why, only being able to see him and breathe the same air as him would be enough. So please…"

"No" he interrupts, making her blink before setting on a frown. "That won't work either. Stop trying to manipulate me, I won't let you free so you can embarrass both of us today" he says irritably, putting on his cloak and grabbing his wand. Sachiko growls at this, making him roll his eyes. "I'll come back as soon as I can, try not to make too much noise, alright?" he opens the door and leaves before she can further try to get him to get her free, leaving the young girl staring daggers at his back and then at the closed door.

It is only after a few minutes have passed that Sachiko finally gives up, her shoulders sagging and her head hitting the pillow under her with a defeated groan. To think Louis would go as far as to chain her to the bed is humiliating. What would Guiche think of this if he knew?

 _Nothing much, I guess_ , she thinks with a pout. It is strange, these new feelings developing on her chest whenever she pictures the face of the flamboyant guy. Just yesterday at the same hour she could barely stand him and his annoying habit of likening himself to a rose, but at the present time, it was impossible for her to even remember ever feeling any kind of negative feeling towards him.

She _could_ , of course, understand he hadn't always been her favorite person, but hate? Dislike? That was completely impossible, couldn't even understand those concepts. Sachiko could just think about him, and the way her body yearns to be close to him, in any possible way she could get. She understands that due to their different statuses it was difficult if not downright impossible to be with him, but just being there, by his side, seeing his face, hearing his voice… that was more than enough for her.

But alas, even that possibility was cut short thanks to Louis and his meddlesome personality. It doesn't even occur to her to ask herself when exactly her feelings for Guiche started, and even less she's able to link it to the wine she drank the day before. But how could she? It's not like Sachiko even knows about the existence of a love potion in the first place.

Just when she's ideating a thousand different ways she can get away from the chains that bind her, the door opens slowly, catching her attention. Thinking is Louis, she opens her mouth ready to yell at him again, but before she's even halfway, a face pops up on the side, and Shiro's face is revealed to her.

"Good, it seems he's not here anymore…" she hears him mutter, his eyes darting from side to side as he enters. Sachiko is elated.

"Shiro!" she calls, small tears forming on her eyes. Shiro's attention quickly goes to her, and his eyes go wide upon landing on the collar at her neck, chaining her to the bed.

"Sachiko! Just what did that brat do?!" he exclaims, closing the door behind him and approaching the bed. "Chaining you like this, just what is his head full off…"

"That's not important right now! I think the key is in the first drawer of the desk, at least that's where it was the last time he did this. Please, unchain me now!"

"The last time that…?" Shiro shakes his head, not wanting to know, and instead does exactly as Sachiko tells him. He retrieves the key from the drawer and goes to unchain her. "There it is; although I'm surprised. Shouldn't he have taken the key with him?"

"He has two of a set. Thanks Shiro. Now, if you excuse me" she lightly pushes his shoulder and goes to stand up, "I need to go somewhere right away. I've taken enough time as it is."

"Wait" Shiro stops her just when she's about to leave. There's a frown on his face, and his eyes look at her confused. "Where are you going? We need to talk first, you know? Exactly what happened last night after we went our separate ways? Did Mr. Vallière do something to you? How did you end up chained to the bed like this?" he asks; true concern in his tone. To his increasing surprise, Sachiko groans.

"Shiro, nothing happened, now I need to…" he halts her again, and Sachiko glares at him. "Shiro, I am starting to get angry…"

"I should be the one saying that!" he retorts, surprising Sachiko. "What's so important you can't stay here and talk to me? I tried looking for you afterwards, but I couldn't find you anywhere; and now that I have the time to…"

"Oh" Sachiko suddenly looks sheepish, her altered mind finally coming up with a memory. More specifically, the memory of the two of them inside the warehouse, kissing and… "Shiro, I'm so sorry…"

Her tone and expression leave Shiro even more confused. He leans back to get a better look at her face, and with his frown just deepening, asks; "excuse me?"

"No, I… I understand now. Shiro, I must apologize for leading you on all this time… but the truth is… well…" she chuckles awkwardly, avoiding Shiro's eyes that look like they're going to smolder her where she sits. "I-I'm in love with someone else…"

"…what" he says, his expression unchanging. Sachiko shrugs, trying to downplay it.

"Yes, ehm, you see… I guess my feelings just started growing bigger and bigger without me realizing it… and even though he hurt me so badly in the past, and our continuous fights, and his creepy tendencies… somehow, along the way, I couldn't help it…"

"Sachiko" Shiro interrupts, completely bewildered at not only her bashful and blushing expression, but at her words, and what he thinks they mean. It couldn't be… with her master? "You're not trying to tell me… you're breaking up with me? Because of some asshole you suddenly think you like despite how he usually treats you?"

"Hey!" Sachiko yells, shoving a finger at his face. Shiro leans back again, but his frown is still in place, and his eyes are angrily looking at her. "Don't call him that! It's true he's egotistical and too prideful, but deep down I know, he's a good boy. Even after what happened he would go out of his way to try and compensate me time and time again, and for a very long time I just wouldn't listen. But now, now I can't lie to myself any longer. I am in love with G-!"

"I don't want to hear it" he cuts her off with a growl, taking a step back and shaking his head. "So what? Does this mean you've always been playing with me? Why would you even go out with me in the first place?"

"Because I knew, deep down, that I would never have a chance with him. After all, I'm just a familiar, lucky to be called a commoner in this kind of world, and he is a noble from a prestigious family. What chance did I have with him?"

"So you mean I was just an attempt to forget him?" even though he feels he has heard enough, Shiro can only continue asking. Because he doesn't want to believe, that the one girl he thought was different, would do something like this to him. Not after all their talks, and not after he finally let himself open to another girl after the fiasco with Agnes.

"Well, that sounds bad when you say it like that…" Sachiko says, lowering her voice and looking away. She tries to think of something that would make the situation better, because, in love or not, Shiro is still a good friend of hers. And she doesn't want to lose him for something like this. "I mean, it was a nice experience, finally being liked by a guy… and specially someone as good-looking as you… I just couldn't… waste that chance…"

She knows as soon as the words get out of her mouth that she should have just shut up when she had the chance. Shiro doesn't look hurt. He looks furious. Sachiko gulps, having never seen an expression like that on his face before.

"Shiro, I…"

"Shut up. Don't even try to justify yourself" he practically spats at her. He turns around and leaves, making sure to slam the door with force before he says something to her that he will no doubt regret. He isn't thinking straight. He needs time to be alone.

Inside, Sachiko simply stares at the closed door, her body unable to move, and her mind still processing what just happened.

"Sachiko…" Derflinger finally speaks, after a few seconds have passed without the girl moving. She jumps, startled at the voice, before shaking her head.

"No… I… I guess I just lost a friend…" she says, hanging her head in shame. She trembles slightly, but immediately slaps herself, shaking her head with vehemence in order to clear her thoughts. "I-I can't stay here. I need to…"

And before Derflinger can say anything to stop her, she's out of the room.

* * *

Reunited in Montmorency's room after lunch, Louis can barely believe the girl in front of him.

"You don't have all the ingredients? You were the whole morning in Tristania!" he shouts, wishing just for a moment she was a boy, so he could vent all his frustrations on her. Unfortunately, he has no other option but settle with verbal abuse, at most. Montmorency rolls her eyes.

"I got them all, except for the water spirit tears. They were sold out" she explains arrogantly. She crosses her arms while Louis glares at her. The desire to hit her is just getting stronger with each word she speaks.

"And what are we going to do then? We cannot leave Sachiko like that" Guiche says worriedly, after being explained about the situation and made to go with Montmorency to Tristania looking for ingredients. Louis snorts.

"Obviously. Did you use all the money I lend you? Really, these broken nobles…" he murmurs, annoyed. Montmorency and Guiche stare coldly at him, but he ignores them. "And these 'water spirit tears' are hard to get by?" he asks, a weary look on his features. Montmorency shakes her head slowly.

"The only way to obtain them is by asking the water spirit itself" she responds, sighing, "And the only one I know of lives in Ragdorian Lake…"

"Then let's go" Louis rapidly says, standing. Montmorency glares at him.

"Where? To Ragdorian Lake?" she asks derisively. Louis narrows his eyes at her but nods. She gives a dry laugh. "Right; even if we actually made the journey there, the possibility of the water spirit giving us something is from a hundred to zero. It will be safer to simply wait for the store to replenish" she says indifferently.

"And _how_ long it will take for that?"

"Two to three months."

"No way we're waiting that long" he declares irritably. "After class I'll ask the principal for permission to leave the academy. First thing tomorrow, we're parting, understood?"

"What? You know, some of us have other things to do" Montmorency stands up, putting her hands on her hips.

"The only thing you should worry about is that I don't go telling Queen Henrietta about your criminal act. There's nothing more important now than reverting this mess you put us in" Louis retorts acidly. Montmorency is taken aback at his words and attitude, but rapidly shakes her head, trying to stand up to him. She was just opening her mouth to say something back when the door of her bedroom bursts open. All the heads turn around to see what the commotion is about, just to see a raven-haired girl standing in the threshold, breathing rapidly and with her cheeks flushed.

"Th-there you are!" she yells. There are a few tears shining on her eyes, and her smile is shaky, but there's no denying the affection behind them. She runs up to Guiche, before hugging him and burying her face on his chest. Guiche blinks, and looks at both Montmorency and Louis, not knowing what to do. Montmorency has a disgusted face, her fists balled up at her sides, but Louis' expression is unreadable.

"I'm glad I've found you" Sachiko continues, as if it's nobody's business. "I… I did something very bad, and I don't know how to fix it. Guiche…" she looks up, her eyes moist and her mouth quivering. Guiche blushes scarlet, more so when Sachiko presses her chest to his, allowing him to feel the intimate push of her breasts against him. "Just this once… is it alright if I find comfort in you?"

The implication of her question is clear to anyone who can hear it, and Sachiko doesn't leave much place to doubt when she takes his hand and slowly but surely brings it up, towards her chest. Before Guiche can think of stopping her o even reply to her, Sachiko is out cold on the floor. The young man takes a step back, surprised, and looks at Louis with a reproachful glare, just to see him looking at Montmorency with his jaw hung open.

"Enough with this nonsense" she growls, lowering her potions book, a heavy leather-bound tome. She turns to Louis, actually making him take a step back with just the sheer anger she's emanating. "We're going. Tomorrow" it's all she says, and the two boys can't do much but nod in agreement.

* * *

Making Sachiko stay still was no easy work, in fact, Louis almost failed uncountable times during the night, the only thing maintaining her in place being the collar he had used earlier that day. She pulls at it with a sullen face, sitting on the floor near the bed after finally calming down, seeing as she's not going to leave the room anytime soon.

She still feels bad for what happened with Shiro a few hours ago, but surprisingly, that event is slowly fading in her mind as the constant reminder the collar makes that she's not be free to stay with her beloved is occupying most of her thoughts. She's having a staring contest with Louis' back, who's sitting on his desk, carelessly flipping through the pages of a book. She huffs.

"Is this any way to treat a woman? I'm not your property, you know" she complains, making a sound of irritation in the back of her throat. Louis sighs.

"I beg to disagree."

"With what? Being your property?"

"That; and that you consider yourself a woman" Sachiko rolls her eyes.

"I'll always only be a familiar in your eyes, won't I?" Louis doesn't answer, so she continues. "I thought we already discussed this, remember? A few days ago, in Tristania? That I'm a human being with my own will and…"

"I know that!" he interrupts her, raising his voice and surprising Sachiko. He turns to look at her; "but that's not the point now, if I let you free, who knows what kind of disaster you will get into. We're lucky the incident from this afternoon wasn't so bad that we had to make excuses, but _I know_ it could have been way worse, what with you running around the academy asking everyone if they had seen Guiche. Letting you go freely to Guiche's bedroom is just going to make that possibility become reality sooner than what I would like" he crosses his arms and glares at her. Sachiko, however, is hardly taken aback.

"I'm not going to do anything, I swear, I just want to be near hi-"

"Right, I'm going to believe you" he rolls his eyes. "Listen, you're not really in love with Guiche" he makes a face, as if just the mere idea of something like that happening is disgusting. Which certainly is; "it's the stupid love potion you drank last night that's making you act like this. So just calm down already and stop blabbering about 'wanting to be with him' and being 'star-crossed lovers' because I swear, if I hear something like that again I'm going to-"

"It's not a love potion!" the girl shouts immediately, glaring daggers at the boy in front of her. "What I feel is real. It _feels_ real. To fall in love with someone, and not being able to be with them… that's a painful thing, and not only because of the difference in status, but because he already has a special person of his own. He doesn't love me, he never will, h-he…" she begins to sob. Louis watches her, amazed at the sincerity of her tears, but quickly shakes his head. No wonder love potions are prohibited. For something to have such an effect on a person, it's really a frightening thing.

"Of course he'll never love you. I doubt he even loves Montmorency, the Gramont are famous for being womanizers" he stands up and pats her on the head. "And I really hope this is not how you normally act when you're in love, otherwise nobody would ever want to be with you" Sachiko snaps, trying to bite off his hand, but he quickly dodges, furrowing his brow. "Anyway, tomorrow we'll have to wake up early, so let's get to sleep now, ok?"

Sachiko's face lights up. "We're traveling? Where? Is Guiche going too?" she rapidly asks.

"That's what I just said, no? To Ragdorian Lake and yes, that idiot is going" he puts on his sleeping robe. "We can't possibly leave you alone with him, and I'm pretty sure it will be impossible to separate you from him anyway" he sighs.

"Is Ragdorian Lake a nice place? If it's so, I want to travel with Guiche in the same horse. Oh, I can see it now, the surface of the water shining under the sun, the two of us walking together; maybe I could even steal a kiss?" she giggles, her eyes closed and her mouth perking up a little on one corner. If they were in a different situation, Louis might have thought her cute, but as it is; her expression is just causing him a headache.

"Yeah, whatever, just go to sleep already!" he shouts, throwing her a blanket and snapping his fingers to turn off the light. Sachiko huffs again, taking the blanket and covering herself with it.

"At least let me sleep on the bed, you big meanie."

"No way! As if I'm going to let a repeat of this morning happen again!" and with that said, Louis closes his eyes, trying his best to fall asleep.

It's somewhere around three in the morning that he's rudely awoken, by no other than Guiche's yell for help.

* * *

Rolling and turning, Guiche is in his bed, having a bad dream.

"No, Montmorency, I'm sorry, you're the only one that I like! I promise I won't flirt anymore! Please, the love potion no…!"

As expected, knowing the girl he likes was willing to use such a potion on him because of his infidelity, Guiche was deeply troubled. Although she's the only one he actually wants, he can't stop his nature as a man, and less of all pretend his existence isn't a gift to be bestowed upon all and every girl. Seeing the effect the potion has on Sachiko, whom he considers more of a comrade than anything else, and who he knows isn't very fond of him, was enough to bring forward unwanted nightmares of what would have happened, had he drank the wine instead of her.

It's because of this nightmare that keeps him trashing in his bed, his brow glittering with sweat and his teeth grinding in fear, he's unable to listen to the door of his room opening and closing, and small steps gradually approaching his bed.

It isn't until a weight is settled on his side, and an adventurous hand slowly drags itself down his chest, stomach and even lower, that he wakes up with a start, his eyes wide and his mouth about to shout a call for help.

"Shhh" the voice of a girl whispers, lifting her hand and pressing it against his mouth. Sachiko's face appears under the light of the moons, her eyes smoldering and her mouth curved up slightly in a smile. Guiche does not know what is going on. "Don't want to wake up anyone else, do we?"

"Sachiko" he whispers once her hand leaves his mouth, his heart beating up fast due to the fright of before. Sachiko tilts her head to the side, her hair managing to shine under the moonlight in an ethereal light. She looks otherworldly, but there's something more important than that right now. "What are you doing here? Rather, how did you get here? I thought Louis would make sure you didn't leave his room."

"He chained me to the wall and left me to rot there, but I couldn't take it anymore. Guiche, I'm sad" she sits up, the fabric of her shirt sliding down a shoulder, and it's in that moment Guiche realizes what she's wearing: a white shirt, completely open and showing a line of flawless white skin between her breasts and to her bellybutton, and her black stockings.

And nothing else.

Guiche jerks away, his fight-or-flight response activating, but Sachiko prevents him from doing so by pushing him down by the shoulders, swiftly straddling his hips and keeping him trapped in place. Guiche starts shaking slightly. "S-Sachiko, whatever you're doing, I-I ask y-y-you…"

"No" she responds easily with a smile, and leans down, closer to his face. Guiche gasps, still doing his best to get away, but she's so firmly planted on his lap, there's very little he can do about it. That he's utterly and completely unable to think straight due to the expanse of skin she's showing just further adds to this. "You need to help me Guiche, I'm sad. Even though we can't be together, I still yearn for you to touch me. I'm fine with just this much, if it's alright with you."

"Well, I'm not! Sachiko, you need to get away before…!" Guiche tries to make her see reason. His own body is betraying him, and even if he isn't attracted to her it's very difficult to ignore a practically naked girl sitting on top of him without responding at least a little. His next words are choked on his throat at the feeling of Sachiko swaying her body tantalizingly, though her eyes show it wasn't intentional on her part.

"No, don't say that" again, her eyes shine with unshed tears, her hands caressing up his chest until she curls them atop his collar, her lower lip popping as she stares straight at him with desperation. "Even though I know it was bad of me, I did something very terrible today to someone I care deeply about, but I can't lie to myself any longer. Even if I ended up losing him, I have to, no, _need_ to know that I can still be with you, so please Guiche, I beg of you, please just let me, this time…"

Guiche is left speechless, having never seen such a cute face from Sachiko before. He can't even remember a time he thought she looked so appealing. However, he is taken out of his thoughts at the feeling of something wet and soft pressing against the base of his throat. It's when he looks down, and sees Sachiko tenderly kissing that zone that his body is pierced with lightning, and suddenly he's doing everything in his power to try to push her away.

"Come on Sachiko, don't do that! You'll leave a mark!"

"Good, that way, that annoying Monmon won't put her hands on you anymore…"

"Wait a minute! Don't say that! Montmorency is not annoying! She's an angel, and even if she gets angry sometimes she's still the cutest girl in the academy!"

"Lies! You think she's annoying too! Because she always gets angry whenever you talk with other girls… if it was me, even kissing is allowed, because I know you can't help yourself, but more than that is definitely prohibited! Only with me, ok?"

As she's saying this, Sachiko keeps kissing his chest, his neck, biting and sucking and leaving as many marks as possible. Guiche tries to push her away, but his strength is diminishing with every new love mark. When Sachiko is finally satisfied, she sits up and looks at her handiwork. There are at least ten marks marring his neck and chest, and she's proud of herself when she sees him trembling and convulsing slightly, with his whole face flushed till his ears.

"Now, you mark me too."

Guiche blinks, dazed, before being presented with Sachiko's chest. Thankfully, the shirt manages to cover her, but he can still see the rounded and soft form of both breasts, pressed together as she pushes her hair back and points at the zone right above and between them.

"Do it right here."

"Ehm… no."

It took all of his self-control to utter that, turning away and thinking of not only Montmorency but of Louis' murderous faces. One thing is letting Sachiko do what she wants, but actively participating will surely get him killed, one way or another.

Sachiko pouts, and for the increasingly bad luck of Guiche, starts rocking back and forth, all the while complaining. "Do it! Don't be a coward! I covered you with my marks, the least you can do is return the favor!"

It doesn't seem like she's trying to have his body respond, just a way to show her frustration and ask for a whim, but it has an undesirable effect on Guiche, and Sachiko halts all movement when she realizes what's going on. Shyly, she looks down, and her blush explodes all throughout her face and chest when she sees _that_.

"Oh… I didn't mean to…"

"Enough!" Guiche yells, embarrassed beyond belief. "Louis, HELP!" he screams what he should have done since the moment Sachiko entered his room, pushing her and sitting up, gathering his knees against his chest and burying his face between them. Even though he enjoys flirting with girls, Guiche is surprisingly innocent, and the situation is way more than he can handle by himself.

Sachiko slowly stands up, after being shoved from the bed, and looks at Guiche with confusion.

"Guiche, are you alright? I didn't mean to…"

Her words are cut short by the thunderous sound of steps rapidly approaching the room, and the door being thrown open as Louis enters, winded and with his clothes and hair a mess, wand in hand. Before ascertaining the situation, before even looking at Guiche or Sachiko, he yells, from the top of his lungs.

"Explosion!"

And the windows burst, the blast leaving nothing more but soot and smoke behind.

* * *

Guiche thinks this is completely unfair.

"Asshole, not doing anything to prevent this from happening. What kind of man are you if you can't even control yourself and properly reject a girl's advancements?" Louis rants, saddling the horse and all the while complaining and mumbling curses and offenses under his breath. Montmorency is no better. She hadn't even look at him, instead concentrating in her own horse, her chin raised in contempt and her eyes cold as ice whenever she actually turns to look at him.

"That's not how it is! And why are you treating only me like crap? Sachiko is the one who came upon me! I didn't do anything wrong!"

He truly thinks he didn't. And still, his face is covered in bandages, his arms and legs too. His crotch hurts like hell, after Louis kicked him there once the smoke cleared up and he could see what kind of situation he and Sachiko were in before he intervened. The girl in question is sitting on the side, a sullen expression on her face as she waits for Guiche to prepare his horse, after he told her to wait until he could do that much, not even the least bit annoyed at the murderous looks Montmorency is throwing at her.

"Because you _clearly_ enjoyed yourself before calling for help! Or are you going to tell me you were unable to get away while Sachiko left so many h-h-hickeys on your n-neck and chest?!" Louis shouts, finishing preparing the horse and walking up to him, just to yell at his face. Guiche winces, but remains firm.

"I would have liked to see what _you'd_ do in my place!"

Louis opens his mouth to yell a response, but Montmorency steps up, pushing them away from each other by grabbing their hair and pulling. "Enough! You two better shut up before I make you! Guiche! You're an idiot! And Louis! You better keep your temper _and_ your familiar in check before I do it for you! Is that clear?!"

The two boys wince at the force she applies, which increases when she doesn't get an answer.

"Ah, alright! Stop that!"

"Montmorency! That hurts! Please, I swear it wasn't my intention to let things escalate to that point!"

"As if I care" she huffs, releasing them and turning to mount her horse. "Now we better get going. Our permission from the principal is only for two days, and we don't know how long it would take us to convince the water spirit, if we even manage to do it at all."

Louis and Guiche grumble, the first annoyed and the second depressed, before mounting their horses too. Sachiko, seeing this, runs up to Guiche's horse and sits with him, much to the boy's nervousness and the other two's irritation. Fortunately, they don't say anything, already having agreed she would travel with him in order to keep her calm. That doesn't mean they don't keep an eye on them at all times. Guiche feels like he's being judged again; and feeling Sachiko happily rubbing her cheek against his back just makes that feeling increase by tenfold.

* * *

 **A/N: I like to think that for all his flirty ways, Guiche actually has no real idea on how to deal with women. On the other hand, remember the _idiot_ Shiro mentioned a few chapters back? The one that forced him into dangerous missions to get King Henry's attention? It was Agnes. Disguised as a boy. I have a whole story thought about them and how Agnes came to meet Henrietta. But that's a story for another time.**

 **Hope you liked the chapter, despite its content. I actually had fun writing it, hehe.**


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